Every Last Drop
by LightMidnight
Summary: She doesn't believe in fairy tales, especially not ones containing fanged-monsters who sucked the life essence out of humans. He hates humans, and doesn't want anything else to do with them other than treating them as his meal. What happens when a human and a vampire meet? Will they learn to coexist peacefully, or clash in terribly dangerous ways? Vampire!LevixOC. Rated M for later
1. Toxic

**A/N: This idea just popped into my head one day, so I decided to act on it and create a little story. I already have two others, but I don't neglect them, so there shouldn't be a problem with updating all three. I know, I'm a story freak. This is going to be modern AU, and I apologize if Levi seems out of character at first. Hope you like!~**

 ***Somewhat based off the book Blood Like Poison***

 ***Thank you to my beta-reader, !***

 **(o~o~o~)**

 **Chapter 1: Prologue**

(? P.O.V)

Food and water.

Sources that were mandatory for the human body to survive, and were dangerous to live without. Food gave the body energy, while water hydrates and cleanses it to a healthy degree.

Blood.

The red liquid that circulates in the arteries and veins of humans and other vertebrate animals, carrying oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the tissues of the body.

At least, that's what most people define it as. For me? Not really.

Blood is the only food and water I have. Blood is the only thing that keeps me alive, whether it's flowing through my veins and arteries, or presented to me as a meal from a day-to-day basis.

You're wondering why, right? It's simple. You know those mystical blood-suckers that you see on TV every now and then? You know, pale, red-eyed monsters that kill humans for entertainment and dinner? Yeah, well I'm one of those monsters. I guess I'm what you call a vampire.

I know what you're thinking now. 'Oh, he kills innocent people for food,' and 'He's a merciless, callous being that glitters in the sun and manipulates people's minds.'

First of all, hell no. Humans are disgusting, and I hate drinking from them. For some unexplainable reason, nearly every human I ever drink from tastes the same. Only a rare few have a decent enough taste for me to devour. Even so, I don't kill unless it's necessary, and so far it hasn't been. I usually lure them in to take what I need, and then wipe their memories clean right after so they don't remember a thing. The process is painless, but I couldn't really care less if it hurt or not.

Second of all, I'm not merciless. I may be a bit callous at times (admittedly) but that's only because I don't take other people's bullshit. And whoever the fuck made up the feature of glittering in the sun is a dumbass, because I definitely don't do that. The only part that's really true about those statements is that I can manipulate other's minds. It's as easy as walking up and talking to them, and I've been doing it for years.

Us vampires don't need any charms or spells to walk in broad daylight. The sun doesn't affect us like people think it does. Over the years, our bodies have created a tolerance to it that makes us nearly the same as a human, despite the blood-sucking part. I prefer walking and feeding during the nighttime, but not all of us are like that. Like I said, some leeches kill for the pleasure of it and take whatever they want just for fun. Which is why I mainly keep to myself. Sticking a nose in other vampires' affairs is consuming as hell and only causes problems for yourself.

Which brings me to what I am doing right now.

Feeding has never been a fun occasion for me, especially when I have to blend myself in with the humans just to lure one in. I can take either male or female, but preferably women. They are much more susceptible to mind control and weaker than the males are, plus they aren't as much of a hassle. It is much harder to convince a male to walk away with a complete stranger than it is for a willing, fickle female from a club or bar.

The club I'm at tonight is probably one of the most popular in Los Angeles to date, consisting of hundreds, maybe even a thousand people. It's large, though cramped and I'd be damned if I let any of the sweaty ass dancers touch me with their filthy hands as I walk through the crowd, searching for a convenient meal.

When it comes to feeding, I hardly do so. Ever since I was turned, almost every human I had come across had the same, fowl blood that tasted bitter on my tongue. There are only a select few that I can actually drink from. Even though I can't afford to be picky in these situations, I can't help it. I find these beings utterly disgusting without their blood added to it.

 _Tch. Do none of these brats have a decent blood cell in their body?_

I cursed under my breath when I was nudged around by dancing clubbers, clearly too distracted to actually care who they run into. Hell, they're probably busy trying to find their next victim to grind on. And there's no fucking way that I'm going to be that person.

None of these humans had even decent smelling blood. The aroma wafting off of their bodies was repulsive, and I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose in disgust as my stomach churned nauseously. There was no way that I was feeding off of one of them. I took several more sniffs before finding my way out through a large gap, making a beeline for the bar. I requested the bartender to pour me a glass of red wine, the only thing that could stall the urge to rip off everyone's head and drink.

Handling the glasses' rim with care I took a sip of the slightly bitter liquid, setting it down and tightening my cravat around my neck. It was a good think I could adjust my body's temperature to a comfortable degree, because it was damn hot in here and I would go mad if I began to sweat.

It was always like this. Going through the trouble of finding a decent meal was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. A giant haystack. It's been nearly two weeks since I had last fed, and if I didn't find suitable blood soon, I would go into a rage and kill everything in sight. It happened once before, when I was fairly young. I went damn near insane without blood, draining every living thing I could get my hands on. Ever since then, I've been careful to feed regularly. But being picky wasn't helping me, and neither was the distasteful blood permeating the air.

"Hello, handsome. All alone tonight?"

My eyes flickered to the side of me, taking in the sight of a petite woman who was eyeing me rather lustfully. As always, I took a whiff and inwardly cringed at the smell of her blood. This woman was undoubtedly a prostitute, her blood tainted and the smell of sex wafting off of her like perfume. I wanted to snarl at her and send her on her way, but decided against it to ensure that I wouldn't fall into bloodlust out of anger.

"I am," I replied dully, taking another sip of wine. "What's it to you?"

The raven-haired woman smiled seductively, scooting a bit too closely for my liking as she placed her hands in her lap. She had no doubt done this before and was just getting started. "It must be rather boring to be all by your lonesome. And, by the looks of what you're drinking, you're going to be up for a long night." She nodded towards my alcoholic beverage, trailing a hand down her arm.

And there it was. The hook. I covered up my disgust and kept my face completely serene, not sparing the woman any emotion as I continued to stare at her. She must have thought that I was looking for a hooker to aimlessly fuck, but no. That was the last thing I was here for. "Observant, aren't you?" I responded stoically, raising an eyebrow at her. The woman gave a light-hearted laugh, not the least bit fazed of my blunt attitude.

"I tend to be when my surroundings consist of someone so striking." Jesus, she was really laying it on thick wasn't she? "But really, what's got you sitting here looking so glum all by yourself?" she tried again, and this time I thought I'd humor her.

"I'm here to drink. Nothing more, nothing less." Proving my point, I took another sip of wine, almost downing it in one go. I forced myself to slow down, for the stress of not having a meal was starting to wash over me and consume me. I was going to have to be really careful if I wanted to stay sane.

"If you were here to drink, you would have ordered something stronger." She pointed out, giving a knowing grin. I clicked my tongue, averting my eyes from her form to gaze out at the many other people who were sitting at the bar.

"What is it that you're implying?" I narrowed my eyes back at her, and she stifled a giggle behind a satin glove-covered hand. This conversation was not doing well to keep me calm, and I was quickly losing the restraint I had on myself to bark at her.

"It just seems like you need a little assistance, is all." She cooed, finally deciding to put herself in drive and sidle up to my form, wrapping an arm that smelled artificially of flowers around my shoulder and pressing her breasts to the side of my arm, making a shudder of revolt going down my spine. She trailed her hand up towards my cravat, lightly tugging on it and making me grit my teeth in annoyance. "I can help you any way you want for just a teensy little fee. I promise you won't regret it," she smiled, then added. "What do you say?"

There was only so much I could take from this, and my irritation should have been readable but the woman was too inversed in her own thoughts to acknowledge how I was truly feeling, and that was disgust. Scoffing, I decided to get rid of her once and for all, and the quickest way was to use my power.

Turning my head and forcing myself to stay tranquil, I looked into her chocolate-brown orbs, my eyes flashing a vibrant red before quickly receding back to their slate-grey color. "I am not interested in you, nor will I ever be. Remove yourself from me and go find someone else to bug. Now."

I put as much emphasis on the last word as I could, growling it out as her eyes glazed over and she took her arms away, rising to her feet and turning her back on me without another word. She disappeared into the array of humans, probably finding her next partner to mingle with. Not that I cared. That conversation was beginning to grate on my nerves.

Hissing through my teeth, I ran a hand through my raven-colored hair and downed the last of my wine. It was too dangerous for me to be here right now, especially in my current state. Had I not reeled back the monster within, I would have snapped that prostitute's neck without a hint of remorse. Not being able to fully control my body's actions was my biggest fear and it had yet to happen if I didn't feed.

I was quickly running out of options.

I need fresh air, I thought bitterly, standing from my seat and throwing some bills that I hadn't even seen how much they covered at the bartender and taking long strides to cover up the distance between me and the exit. Not even sparing the bouncer a passing glance, I exited onto the steps of the club and began my walk down the barren streets. It was strange; usually there would be pedestrians heading towards the club on foot or cars barreling down the streets, but there wasn't a single presence in sight.

I stopped a few hundred feet away, propping myself against a building's wall as its awning shadowed my form, making it difficult for me to be spotted if someone had walked by. In times like these, I really craved a cigarette. Although the effects do not take a toll on my body, I decided to break the habit because of the smell it emits. Smelling like tobacco was fucking sickening, and would make me even more unapproachable then I already was.

Taking a deep breath, I stopped mid-way when a delicious smell met my nose, my senses running on high alert.

This smell was different.

I instantly knew that what I had smelled was blood, but it wasn't ordinary blood. The aroma had consisted of warm vanilla, strawberries and blueberries, and flowers all in one. I stiffened, my eyes flashing back to their monstrous form as my mouth began to water. Not literally, of course.

This smelled so goddamn appetizing that I had nearly forgotten all reason because of it, almost deciding to break out in a run towards the fragrance and find out just what the hell it was coming from. Never in my entire life had I smelled something this amazing. I was so eager that I could almost taste it on my tongue.

Taking measured steps, I followed the aroma to its owner while taking several turns through dark alleyways. My eyes adjusted to the dark naturally, allowing me to see everything clearly as if it was still daytime. I was getting closer, that much I was sure of. The smell was getting stronger each time I took a calculated step towards it.

Finally, I was going to have a suitable dinner for once in my fucking life. I was constantly on the move for a meal wherever I went, wanting something to quench my thirst. At this point, I didn't give a rat's ass of who or what the blood came from. As long as I was able to sink my teeth into it and drain it dry, I would be content.

Sounds of scuffling met my ears when I turned the corner of a long, dark alleyway, causing red flags to go up in my mind. Somehow, the sound was familiar to me, but at the same time it wasn't. The aroma had definitely lead me here, and I inhaled again for good measure. Yeah, no doubt about it. It was here.

I looked to the end of the alley to see three large figures, presumably men, crouching over what looked to be a smaller body, most likely a woman. Suddenly, a loud whimper echoed off of the walls, causing me to tense harshly. I took another sniff.

The blood didn't belong to the men, it belonged to the woman they were leaning over. And then I realized something that I hadn't before. It all made sense now.

They were leaning over her because they were attacking her.

In a regular situation, I would have just waved a dismissive hand and say 'screw it' while leaving and going on my way. Like I had said before, I didn't get involved in scuffles unless they had something to do with me, or I was trapped and had no way of escaping. It proved to be a nuisance if I had helped some random brat on the street. But that was a normal circumstance, involving a person with mild-tasting blood that wasn't to get worked up over.

This time, I wasn't going to let this go though. I finally had a chance to get some decent fucking blood in my system before I went and destroyed everything, and I wouldn't take it for granted. If killing these humans is what I would have to do to get to my meal, I would do it. Taking measured steps towards the three men, I listened in on the grunts and curses they were exploiting between themselves.

"Dammit, stop squirming you bitch! I've just about had enough of you!" one man seethed, his face concealed with a dark ski mask just like his buddies. He was holding the woman down by her auburn-colored hair, a knee place on her back and pushing her down onto the cold concrete as his friends restrained her hands and covered her mouth. He was right; she had been wiggling around while trying to find a way to get out of their grip, but it was no use. They overpowered her by two men.

"I'm going first," the one holding her hair said, a wicked grin on his face as he pushed his knee down harder on the woman's back, making her emit a cry of pain. "Well boys, we managed to get ourselves a nice piece of ass!"

His friends let out whoops of agreement, the one holding her mouth closed lifting her head ever so slightly to peer into her face. The view was blocked when he did so, and I couldn't see her features. "We're going to treat you real nicely, girl. You're going to love every bit of it." He sneered. What happened next was unexpected.

The man shouted when he whipped his hand away, rustic blood flowing out of what appeared to be a bite wound. I was surprised this girl still had the guts to fight back, even when she was outnumbered.

"You fucking bitch!" he spat, and the girl let out an ear piercing scream, causing me to stop in my tracks and cover my ears with my hands. In my current state, my ears were ultra-sensitive to sound since all of my senses were heightened. I clicked my tongue in annoyance as she fought back even harder than before, thrashing around violently and making it hard for the men to hold her down.

"Somebody help me, please!" she cried as loudly as she could, begging the dark abyss that was the sky to save her from her attackers. Her pleas weren't heard, however. The man who she had bitten swung a fist down that contained an object that I couldn't see, hitting her over the head and causing her cries to cease.

When he brought his hand back up, I was able to see what he was holding. My veins lit with fury, causing a deep scowl to etch on my face. He held a jagged rock that was the size of his palm in his grasp, the woman's sweet blood dripping off of it like nectar. The dumbass was letting it go to waste, how pitiful.

The smell had hit me ten times harder now that she was bleeding, the gash in her head allowing blood to flow freely from it and pool onto the ground beneath her. It would have been a repulsive thing to see if it weren't for the addicting scent coming off of the surface.

"Idiot! We can't kill her yet, we haven't even started!" the leader snapped, letting her head drop into her own pool of blood. He began to bicker back and for with the other two men, his hands making erratic gestures.

"Forget it, let's just get this over with." He said, motioning towards the half-dead brunette. "I don't feel like fucking a dead body."

Disgusting. Humans were truly disgusting creatures. To violate someone of their own kind and purposely hurt them was to be a disgraceful being. I was no different, for I had done the same in the past. But to rape someone? No one had deserved that. It was pure immorality.

 _Che, fucking scumbags._

Finally deciding to make my presence known, I removed my hands from my ears, stopping just a few feet away from the human scum. My blood was boiling over at the thought of them continuing where they left off, and I had wanted nothing more than to tear them to pieces. I was against killing if unnecessary, but right now I would make a damn exception.

"Oi," I called to them, cracking my knuckles threateningly. The men turned around at the sound of my voice, visibly stiffening and going into defensive stances. "Don't you humans have any fucking manners whatsoever?"

"Shit!" the leader of the bunch cursed audibly, retracting his hands from the woman's body and reaching a hand in his pocket to pull out a knife. How comical, he thought he could use such a useless toy on me. "Who the hell is this shorty?!"

"I'm the person who's going to end your useless existence." I growled, my eyes burning red with the need to kill when he insulted my height. Not that I didn't hear it often, but it still pissed me off nonetheless. I felt my incisors grow a few millimeters, poking my lip and asking to be let out. I complied, giving the bastards a sadistic smile. "You scumbags don't deserve to live on this Earth."

The three of them shivered in fear at seeing just how red my eyes were, the sight of my fangs chilling them to the bone as I prodded forward slowly, aiming to separate them from my meal. The smell was egging me on, taunting me and trying to make me fall into a blood rage. I denied its request; I was too close now to fall into a killing fit. Not when I would be able to feed at this moment. Scrambling to their feet, they all pulled out old-fashioned switch blades, pointing them at me threateningly. "Stop! Don't come closer or we'll kill you!" the man snapped, his hand shaking though he was slightly oblivious.

I rolled my eyes, not stopping my descent towards the three of them. I found their terror amusing, and I knew that I would enjoy ripping them apart, limb from limb. "Shit, oh no! You found my weakness, small knives!" I cried in mock fright, pretending have a heart attack as I held a hand to my chest. I was allowed to have a little bit of humor, right? I really fucking hope so.

The man's eyes flashed, his gaze flickering towards the bleeding woman before grabbing her by her hair again, dragging her to make her stand against his chest. He lifted up her face, placing the blade against her throat and pressing it there gently. "If you come any closer, I'll kill the bitch! I really will!"

I felt my eyes widen the slightest bit upon seeing the girl's face for the first time. A stream of her blood dripped down the side of her face, but it was otherwise unmarred as her eyes were closed, her ivory skin flushed because of the cold. Her plump, rosy lips parted with uneven breaths as she panted, trying to latch onto her consciousness. Long lashes fluttered against her cheeks as she tried to open her eyes, but couldn't. I wasn't smitten with the brat; hell no. But I would admit that she was attractive, just like how her blood was. She was the perfect fit to something so…enticing.

I smirked, licking one of the fangs in my mouth as I pictured puncturing her delicate throat and sucking all of the blood that flowed throughout her body. If I was to get my meal, I would have to make this quick. It didn't look as if she would live much longer, and these men were entirely in the way.

Snapping out of my stupor, I glared at the men heatedly. "Sorry to disappoint you, but that is damn well not going to happen. I've grown tired of hearing your bullshit, so just disappear."

Before any of them could make a move towards me, I lunged.

I blanked in and out of consciousness as I felt my elongated fingernails plunge into the first throat I could grab onto, ripping out the man's vocal cords before he could yell. Ignoring the urge to clean myself thoroughly, I decapitated him, slicing his head clean off his body and relishing the kill. It had been too long since I had taken the life of a scum.

Reaching down and picking up the knife he didn't have the chance to use, I went on to the next man, the one who had bashed her head in with a rock. He decided the most pain for inflicting it on someone who was defenseless, and a woman, no less. Snarling, I sprinted towards him, smirking in satisfaction as the knife I held plunged through his eye-socket, causing him to scream in pain and reach for the imbedded weapon. But I wasn't done, no. Not yet. With barely registered speed, I plucked it out of his eye, doing the same to the other while digging my fingers into his throat, watching humorlessly as his head rolled, just like his friends.

And then there were three of us.

Turning back to the one I saved for last, I eyed the bastard dangerously while baring my teeth at him. He had been frozen with fear, his body wracked with shivers as he hadn't moved from his spot at all. The woman still stood captive in his arms, the knife just barely digging into the smooth skin of her throat. I chuckled darkly, knowing full well just how afraid he was of me. The shitstick should have known just what he had gotten himself into.

"Don't piss your pants just yet," I mocked, taking calculated steps towards my last kill. I was eager to wrap my hands around his throat and snap his spine in two. "I was just getting to the fun part." Christ, maybe I really was merciless.

The leader trembled, his grip on the woman shaking her body as well as he couldn't control it. He reeked of the stench of fear, his pheromones permeating the air around us and further raising my bile. I had to push that feeling down to continue my stride forward. Letting out a terrified yell, the abuser released the woman from his grip, allowing her knees to buckle beneath her and send her careening to the floor. He fell back on his ass and began to scoot backwards in an attempt to flee. It was sickly amusing to me.

"Absolutely pitiful. I knew you didn't have the balls to actually go through with your act," I sneered vehemently, flexing a hand at my side as I walked around the woman's body to get to him. I was so close; close enough to grab her and feed right then and there, but I resisted the urge and kept stalking towards the scum on the ground. "Don't even think for a second that I'm going to allow you to escape. I wouldn't want some little shit like you wandering around and trying to raise suspicion, the trouble I would have to go through to hide my identity would be a pain in the ass."

"P-P-Please!" he begged, continuing his scramble backwards. I could see the faint glimmer of tears just behind his mask, but I felt no remorse whatsoever. The fucker deserved a slow, painful death. "I swear I won't do anything like this ever again! Just please, l-let me go!"

I watched in amusement as the bastard began to beg for his life over and over again, glaring down at him like he was mud on my shoes. He really was lower than dirt, and a dumbass to boot. Turning my neck to the side and cracking it, I let out a sarcastic snort. "Tch. I don't give a damn if you wouldn't do this again. Pricks like you don't deserve to live. Honestly, I think even my kind gets along better than yours." Peering into the man's eyes, I gave him one last evil smirk. "Enough. You're stalling my feeding, rat."

Before the leader could even blink, I was in front of him, jabbing my hand through his chest and watching his eyes roll back into his head as the life drained out of him. I squeezed around the most important organ in the chest cavity; his heart. Sneering, I watched the light fade from his eyes as I ripped it out, the disgusting red liquid sloshing over my shirt before he fell back and hit the ground, dead as roadkill.

The gruesome, bloody murders I had just committed had repulsed me to no end, but they were necessary. Beings like them shouldn't even be allowed to breathe my air. Think of it as putting them out of their misery, or squashing a pesky bug. Clicking my tongue, I threw the still beating heart onto the man's corpse, turning my back on him. I had no reason to acknowledge him now.

The woman laid unmoving on the ground, her blood not stifled and flowing onto her neck and clothes. As I approached her, I took out a spare handkerchief from my pocket to wipe my hands clean of the blood staining them. Although, they were probably just going to get dirty again. The smell of her blood was luring me in and hell, it nearly drove me to the brink as I stopped beside her, crouching down to her level.

Her auburn bangs were covering her eyes, crusting over with blood as her breathing was labored. She was still alive, but just barely. Part of me felt guilty that I had to drink from someone who was half-dead, but I quickly ignored the feeling when I smelt the delectable liquid dripping from her head wound. It was too intoxicating to dismiss.

I reached an arm out to grab her around her shoulders and lift her into a sitting position, careful not to snag her hair on the buttons of my arm cuffs. She let out a small groan, signaling that she was indeed in pain. There was nothing I could do about that, though. I could always put her under some sort of trance, but her eyes were closed; they would have to be open for me to use my ability.

I winced when I realized that she was lighter than I expected. No, that wasn't right. Someone as young as her should have been at least a couple pounds heavier, but she felt nearly as light as a child and I had no problem cradling her to my chest. She looked almost too small against my slightly bigger frame.

Pushing some of her hair away from her neck, I leaned in and took a deep breath, a rumble of approval vibrating in my throat. My fangs itched in anticipation, waiting to sink themselves into the junction between her shoulder and neck. I knew one thing for sure; that she wouldn't live through this process.

As much as I hated unnecessary death, I would have to make an exception this time even if I hated it. It was either one person's life, or a hundred people's lives. This woman would be saving other innocents from my wrath, so her sacrifice was mandatory. Of course I felt ashamed of myself for coming so close to losing control, and this would surely be a grave reminder of my mistakes.

Tired of waiting, I ran a thumb over the blood that marred her cheek, bringing it to my mouth for a small taste of what I was missing. As soon as it met my tongue I shuddered in pleasure, a burst of flavor flooding my taste-buds and sending me damn near speechless. I was right; it was fruity, flowery, and sweet all at the same time. A worthy meal just like I thought it would be.

I lowered my head, opening my mouth wide and preparing to sink my teeth into the vein that was popping against her skin. I was so close to my goal. So close to becoming quenched.

"Don't…"

Stopping my movements, I froze in place as I just barely heard the weak voice speak next to me ear. Lifting my head from her shoulder, I caught the gaze of a pair of the deepest azure eyes I have ever seen. They had held an array of emotions; fear, desperation, pain, weakness.

What I hadn't expected to see was the understanding in their blue depths.

My eyes widened in confusion and incredulity. You would think that if someone was about to be killed they would hold an extreme amount of hate for their killer, but not her. I almost wondered if she had been through something similar before with my kind, but the thought was absurd. Had she gone through the same thing in the past, she would have not survived. Which brings me to wonder why she would hold apprehension in her heart.

 _Damnit…_

I wanted to move forward and end this scenario as quickly as possible, leaving after I received my fill. But I couldn't. All I could do was stare in astonishment at the human girl that was rapidly succumbing to the darkness. Even on her deathbed, she fought to live and continued to be strong-willed. I growled, the frustration beginning to show on my face as I contemplated what to do next.

Every part of my body was screaming at me not to harm her, to help her. I almost felt like I hadn't owned any part of my body anymore. The vampire instincts that were previously in control receded, disappearing in the depths of my mind as my senses began to shut down, imploring me to feel like a human again.

 _What the fuck is wrong with me?! Why can't I just feed on her already?!_

What shocked me the most is that the bloodlust I had been feeling earlier had also disappeared, along with the urge to kill everyone and everything just to satiate my thirst. For some unexplainable reason, this woman had an effect on me that no other creature has ever had before. It was almost as if she had reached up and put a dog collar around my neck.

The thumping of her heartbeat had slowed down to a dangerously slow rate, barely beating enough for her to pump blood through her veins. Her eyes were shut completely now, and I had almost missed seeing their cobalt depths which further irritated me. Never had I felt these emotions plague me before, and it was starting to really piss me off that I couldn't reign them in.

Now that I couldn't feed off of her, what was I supposed to do with her? I wanted to leave her there; get away from her as soon as possible so I could collect my bearings. But my body would not follow my instruction. Gritting my teeth, I barked at her. "Oi! What the hell is it that you want from me?! Why don't you stop using that accursed hold on me and just let me feed?!"

No response.

What was it that she wanted?

 _Save, save, save._

The thoughts I hadn't come up with chanted over and over in my mind, making me want to tear my hair out. If I couldn't feed on this woman, she was of no further use to me. Unless…

Another thought filled my mind, this time of my own doing as I glared down at the nearly dead female. It was the brightest of ideas, but it just might work.

Between my species and theirs, it was a rare occasion that a deal was made. Usually this deal consisted of allowing the vampire access to the humans' blood whenever they wished, and in return the human was allowed one major request. Fame, fortune, whatever they had wanted…all for the simple price of being a personal blood-bank. Personally, I had always loathed the idea, but with how scarce decent blood was these days I might just have to change my mind. It's not like I couldn't grant this little brat's wish, I was perfectly capable of doing so.

A deep sigh left me when I had made up my mind. Knowing full well that I was going to regret this shit later, I pulled back the sleeve of my arm, my pale skin catching the light of the moon as the veins in my wrist popped, stark against the surface. Bringing my arm to my face, I gently sunk my fangs into my wrist. My own blood poured into my mouth and I shivered in disgust as I forced myself to swallow it, taking out my incisors and bringing the bleeding wrist down to the woman's mouth.

At first, she was unresponsive as my wrist was pushed against her lips, waiting for her to comply. I clicked my tongue in annoyance, pushing harder against them. "Open your mouth and drink, if you want to live."

After a few moments, the woman obliged, just barely parting her lips and wrapping them around my wrist. Although she had not bitten me, it still felt strange as hell to be someone's blood donor for a change. And for a human, no less. I could feel the pull of my blood entering her body, heading straight for her head wound and healing it. The injury scabbed over, stifling the blood. Her skin had also began taking on a darker shade instead of the unhealthy paleness it had to it, making her look less sickly. When her heartbeat had resumed a healthy pace, I took my wrist away, allowing the marks I had inflicted upon myself to heal over.

The woman's eyes snapped open, more vibrant than ever as she stared up at me in amazement. There was no fear this time, only wonder. It was intriguing to know that she wasn't afraid of me like those dead bastards had been. Even the sight of blood covering me hadn't fazed her.

She opened her mouth to speak, and I raised an eyebrow in question. What would she say to me now? "W-What are you going to do with me?"

Her voice had still sounded feeble and tired, but that didn't stop her from asking the question that had lingered in her brain. I admired her straightforwardness, however, and my lips twitched in slight amusement. What a question to ask right after your life had been saved.

"You are just going to have to be patient and see for yourself. But right now, you need to sleep."

I was not asking her, I was ordering her. My eyes flashed their usual crimson color before vanishing, manipulating the woman into submission as her eyes glazed over, her eyelids fluttering before closing completely. She fell into a deep slumber, her breaths much more even than they were before. I still cringed at the sight of how dirty she was, but ignored the feeling as I lifted her light body into my arms. I shifted her in my hold so I was holding her bridal style, scowling at how soft I had become in mere moments. I didn't really have an idea of what I would do with her. For now, I would just have to take her to my home. The unease I felt was apparent, and I wondered how the others would react if I had brought a human into our tiny coven. Hopefully they'd stick to reason and refrain from going ape-shit on me, it was already beginning to be a long night.

Shaking my head, I exited the alley-way with the girl in my arms and leaving the bodies of the three men I had slaughtered behind, hoping that they were having an enjoyable time burning in hell. My eyes flickered briefly to the woman's face. It had a gentle expression to it, one of peace that had almost made me feel the same. Almost.

I was going to bring her to my home, and yet…I didn't even catch her name.

Shit.

 **(o~o~o~)**

 **How was that for a first chapter?**

 **It was much longer than I expected it to be, but it was because it was Levi's P.O.V. These next couple chapters are going to be my OC'S P.O.V, and not his. Hmm, I wonder what her name could be? (;**

 **Find out next time! Follow, fav, and review!**

 **~M**


	2. Danger, And Him

**A/N: Thank you to my first reviewer/follower! I'm so glad Levi isn't too ooc, I tend to make him that way sometimes when I'm stressed. Finals are irritating my soul these days, seriously. I have one more day of school and then I'll have the whole summer to update ALL of my stories! At least, that's my goal. Check them out! I'm sure you all will be interested in** _ **The Balance of Life**_ **and** _ **The Difference Between Us. AND I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! I HAVE NO EXCUSE!**_

 **Carry on!~**

 **(o~o~o~)**

 **Chapter 1: Unexpected Meeting**

 **(Charlotte's P.O.V)**

 _What did I ever do to deserve this? It's happening to me, again…_

My name is Charlotte Brewer. I am 20 years old and currently enrolled in Trost University, going into my second year of college. I know, you'd expect me to go somewhere like UCLA or a college that actually fits the Los Angeles environment, but something about Trost just lured me in. I don't know what it was, but it worked and I love it there. I am majoring in Geography, and minoring in Music Production, but otherwise I'm not sure about what I really want to do with my life yet.

Most people describe me as the quiet, docile type, but in truth that's not something I can help. Though it hasn't been medically proven, I am mute. Not deaf, but mute. Of course I can hear everything without a problem, but that is not the point.

The reason I hardly ever speak is because of severe trauma I have had in the past. I'm not going to go into detail about what happened, but eventually I will when I am ready. Let's just say it was the most frightening experience I had ever gone through in my entire life.

Well, I thought it was. Until now.

Living life for me is just about as hard as winning the lottery. There are several precautions I have to take, as well as twists and turns that could easily knock me off balance if I'm not careful. I currently live by myself in a dingy, run-down apartment that is hardly comfortable for me. To be quite honest, calling it an apartment would be an insult to all apartment complexes.

I usually get by with the money I earn by working at the little café a couple streets down from where I live, but it's only enough to pay for my rent and school. My eating habits had decreased significantly and I am forced to save my rations, thus why I am underweight. I try to cover how skinny I am with baggy clothing, but I think people can see through it anyways. I'm hoping that by the time I graduate I can apply for an occupation that suits my needs better than my current job, even though I do enjoy the days I do spend in the little shop.

Today is (or was, I'm not sure anymore) a Saturday, and I had received my paycheck along with some tips I had picked up from generous customers. Since it was the first time I'd actually be able to spend money on anything but school and bills, I thought I would pamper myself a bit and go out to eat. I thought about asking a friend to come with, but decided against it when I had left later than expected. I applied a bit of makeup and put on some cute clothes before I headed to my destination—a cozy little Italian restaurant by a well-known club in town—on foot. Of course, that was my first mistake when I began walking alone.

I bet you're all shouting at me right now, scolding me and telling me how much of an idiot I am for wandering around at 9:00 in the evening by myself when I could easily be abducted, murdered, raped, etc. And you're completely right. I am an idiot. Yes, the walk was only about a ten minute walk considering it wasn't that far from my apartment. But even the closest destinations have dangers that lurk in the shadows.

I was only about five minutes away from the restaurant, my mouth watering in hungry anticipation when I had started to get a bad feeling in my gut. I began to quicken my pace, walking faster and turning the corner when I had saw them.

Three men, all the size of freaking _bulldozers_ where chatting in front of a sports bar, exchanging vile words that were meant to be heard by passer-byers. Strangely enough, there was no one outside but the men and I. Ignoring them as much as possible, I strode by while trying to make myself as small as possible. Unfortunately, that didn't work when the tallest man out of the group looked at me in a rather lustful way, eyes glinting dangerously as he watched me continue on my way.

At first, I let out a sigh of relief because I thought that I was safe. I turned the corner of the shortcut I followed, all the while taking steady breaths to calm my nerves. My relief was short-lived, however, when I heard the pitter-patter of multiple feet behind me.

Not wasting any time looking back, I made a run for it. That was when I knew my gut feeling had been right and that I was indeed being followed, possibly by the same men I had tried to avoid contact with. With each sprinting step, I had gotten closer to the restaurant. The more public the place, the safer it would be for me.

And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I had come to a dead-end. The alley was secluded, cramped between two buildings as I stared in frustration at the fence that was at least three feet taller than me. I couldn't get over it, but I bet the behemoths behind me could.

As if on cue, the men entered the entrance of the alleyway, coming towards me like predators trying to capture their pray. I was right, they were the same men that I had come across in front of the bar except for this time they were all wearing black masks that concealed their features. Not that it helped any, I had gotten a good look of their faces when I passed by them.

I panted, out of breath as the space between them and I was being eaten up. I tried to look for any ways to escape, but my thoughts were in vain when they were nearly an arms-length away. I was officially trapped.

With a last attempt, I tried skittering around them only to be caught by three pairs of beefy arms, enclosing around my body in a vice grip and forcing me to the ground. I cried out into the night air, not used to hearing my own pained voice. It sounded more like a whine then a cry, if anything.

I was scared; no, I was _terrified_ of what these men had in store for me. I was in too much shock to cry or yell for help, and my body had shut down due to the horrific situation I was in. It was like I wasn't in control anymore.

I laid face-down on the concrete, pinned by the group as my arms were held to my sides and my hair was collected in the palm of their leader's hand. I let out another hoarse cry when he tugged at it sharply, and I almost regretted wearing it down that night.

"How nice, this one's not a struggler. It would be such a pain to hurt this pretty little body of yours," a voice said next to my ear, the rancid breath making me want to throw up. I felt pressure on the back of my spine, signaling that someone was pinning me down there as well.

As soon as those words left his mouth my body kicked into high-gear, waking up from its temporary sleep as I began to thrash around as much as I could. I had remembered what had happened to me in that moment and the realization finally donned on me, honing my senses and sending me in a state of panic. There was no way that I wasn't going to just lay there and let them harm me.

"Now look what you did," I heard one of his friends scold, quickly placing a hand over my mouth to stifle any screams that could conjure out. "It's like you triggered something that woke her up!"

"Tch, shut the hell up and help me restrain her!" the one holding her down snapped at his partners, increasing the pressure on my back. I continued my struggle to get free, not fazed in the least of their gruff banter. No matter how much I squirmed, they would not let me go. My heart began to beat at an alarming rate, fear coursing through my veins and flooding throughout my body.

It was just like before. It was happening to me again and there was nothing that I could do to stop it. I let out a scream of frustration into the man's hand, making it clamp down profoundly around my mouth.

"Dammit, stop squirming you bitch! I've just about had enough of you!" the attacker above me barked, not amused with how much retaliation I was putting in against them. The fight in me did not decrease one bit and I continued the battle to get free.

"I'm going first," he spoke again, and I could almost hear the grin in his face as he bragged to his friends. A shiver went down my spine and I knew what he was implying. They were trying to rape me. The same level of terror I have felt before started to consume me, causing endless rivulets of tears to escape my eyes as my struggling started to cease. A choked cry escaped my throat when the pressure on my back turned extremely painful. "Well boys, we finally managed to get ourselves a nice piece of ass!"

It was sickening, the way they cheered and congratulated each other for doing something so disgusting and cruel. My hair was tugged, jerking my face closer to my attackers. "We're going to treat you real nicely, girl. You're going to love every bit of it." He jeered, making some of my fear dissipate and spark anger in my veins. I was not some story-book princess in distress that needed a knight on a white horse to save me. I had always been on my own, and I wasn't going to get out of this situation unless I fought for myself.

 _These bastards are messing with the wrong girl,_ I thought bitterly. Growling uncharacteristically, I opened my mouth wide enough to clamp down on one of the men's hand, biting down with as much force as I could muster. Blood began to trickle inside my mouth and I spat it out as he took his hand away. My stomach churned nauseously at the taste of iron, and I tried to recollect my bearings so that I could yell for help.

"You fucking bitch!"

I didn't take any time to hear his cursing. Instead, I took a deep breath, screaming out into the cold world as loud as I could. "Somebody help me, please!" My own voice sounded alien to me, and it sounded as if I was underwater, but it was a plea nonetheless.

Sadly, my plea was not heard.

I felt a searing stab of pain on the side of my head, and I saw a white flash of light before losing consciousness. Well, not completely.

In and out of the darkness I went, trying to hold onto my life as I could feel myself slipping gradually away. It was as if I was playing tug-of-war with life and death, and death was slowly winning as my vision faded from white to black. In between moments, I could feel myself lifted into a standing position while cold metal was pressed against the base of my throat. I could vaguely hear words being passed around as well. Whether they were hostile or kind, I couldn't tell. Everything was turning into a blur as I fought for my life.

I could tell I was dropped again as I hit the uncomfortable concrete a bit harder than I would have liked, trying to open my eyes even a fraction of what I normally could. My efforts were in vain, considering I was too weak to even move. Whatever head injury I was inflicted with was worse than I had expected, and I was surprised that I even remembered being hit.

Footsteps could be heard, and the smell of rust was permeating the night air as I took ragged breaths. I wasn't ready to die yet. I was just starting to achieve my goals in life, and it was taking a turn for the better. At least I thought it was, until now. Maybe this was a sign that it was my time to go. The fates must have wanted me dead longer than I had imagined if they were constantly trying to end my existence.

 _I don't want to die…at least give me another chance. I haven't done anything wrong. I haven't done anything at all!_

And then I smelled it.

It was faint, but it was there. It consisted of spice, pine, and something fruity that I couldn't put my finger on, combined. It was a refreshing scent that would have calmed me down if I wasn't in the process of dying.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around my torso and lifted me into a sitting position, the smell lingering around me as I was provided with extra warmth. I still felt afraid, but it somehow felt safer than the other embraces I was previously put in.

The pain ebbed, but I could still feel my heartbeat slow to a steady pace as I was fighting hard to open my eyes. I wanted to see the person holding me. I wanted to see the person behind the desirable smell. Of course, my body didn't comply and I was forced to keep my eyes shut.

The person leaned in, brushing my unruly hair to the side before leaning in and breathing on the side of my neck with a warm breath, giving me tiny chills. I felt the faint trace of a finger slide down the side of my blood-covered cheek before disappearing again, leaving the latter cold and untouched.

The warm breath was back against my jugular again, and warning bells went off in my mind as I recalled the memory of the dramatic event that had happened to me prior, when I was just a child. This was the same sensation I had felt before… _it_ happened. Despite how frightened I was, I could not bring myself to feel hatred towards this person. If sating their need would save lives, even for a little while, then I was willing to give mine.

Or was I?

Despite my understanding, I was still racked with unease. Deep down, under all of the fear and resentment, I didn't want to die.

I _really_ didn't want to die.

Before the individual could strike, my eyes snapped open as if a curse had been lifted. I couldn't really register my surroundings due to them being quite blurred, but I did visualize the raven-colored hair to the side of me. It brushed against my cheek like soft feathers, waking up my tired body even more.

I could only get out one, hoarse word.

" _Don't."_

That was all it took for the stranger to stop. One, whispered out word that changed everything. Upon hearing my voice, they pulled back to get a good look at my face, also allowing me to do the same. And I was not disappointed in the least.

 _He's beautiful._

I embraced the cheesy thoughts as I stared, mesmerized at the person's appearance. The air he gave off was a bit threatening, but otherwise tranquil as I peered into gorgeous slate-grey eyes. His face was nothing short of handsome; sharp, pale-ivory features and thin, soft lips that were a rosy pink color. I let myself indulge for a moment, picturing myself kissing said lips. The thought was short and sweet, though.

At first, his face took on shock before returning to a stoic, blank look. I could tell it was something he did often because of the harsh lines and crevices between his eyebrows and on his forehead. They were harsh, but otherwise smooth and somehow it fit his image. Yes, he really was beautiful. Probably one of the most beautiful males I have ever seen.

The stranger's eyes flashed from a vibrant, blood-red color and back to their original state as he was caught between his decision to follow through with what he was originally going to do and stopping himself short. I briefly hoped that he would choose the right decision—to stop—and stop he did.

Due to my weakened state, I could no longer keep my eyes open and they were forced shut, almost as if they were glued tightly together. I felt irritated when I couldn't open them anymore, and this time the level of difficulty was too vast, too high to do so. I wanted to open them again to see if this alluring stranger was still indeed holding me, but I couldn't.

My body was beginning to numb, as were my senses, and I could hardly breathe normally anymore. I couldn't bring myself to move or form words any longer, and I knew I was truly dying. These were my final moments at life. And although I was dying in vain, I thanked whatever God there was that I had gotten to see something beautiful before my passing.

"Oi! What the hell is it that you want from me?! Why don't you stop using that accursed hold on me and just let me feed?!"

 _What…?_

I processed the words, slowly but surely. His voice was attractively deep, even with the angry edge to it. I felt perplexed when he was having a battle with himself right in front of me, and I had no idea what it was for. Whether he was feeling conflicted of something or someone, I didn't know. I didn't understand why he had thought I had some type of ' _hold_ ' on him.

A few seconds passed, and I was stunned at how long I had clung to consciousness for. I must have been fighting for longer than I had thought possible. It was then that I heard a faint squish sound, the noise almost making me sick to my stomach as a loud ' _pop_ ' followed, making me vastly aware of what he was doing. The woodsy, spicy smell had gotten much sharper than before and something wet was placed against my lips, coating them in liquid.

"Open your mouth and drink, if you want to live."

The deep baritone of his voice had calmed my senses once again, filling me with much-needed security. At first, I was a bit hesitant. How would I know if the liquid he was trying to feed me was dangerous, or even poisonous? And then I thought to myself; he wouldn't go through such lengths to kill me, I was already dying. So why would he have a reason to?

Throwing all reason out of the window, I decided to comply, parting my lips to let the warm liquid flow past them into my mouth and down my throat. The liquid was immensely sweet, like a sugary soft drink or energy drink, and it lit my senses on fire. Energy flooded throughout my body, and the numbness surrounding me faded away and disappeared completely. Even the pain was gone, and I felt like I had gained a few extra pounds.

Much to my consolation, I was strong enough to reopen my eyes again and peer at the strange man once again. I could see him much more clearly this time, and I let my eyes travel down his body to see the blood coating his shirt and…cravat?

 _Blood._

He wasn't bleeding, not from what I could see, so the blood obviously wasn't his. It had to be someone else's. I had bled quite a lot, but my wound had clot and scabbed over, stopping the flow from pouring out of it, so it couldn't have been mine. And that was when I registered that my attackers were gone.

 _Oh my god…he did, didn't he…_

As much as I had wanted to, I couldn't feel afraid of him any longer. He had just saved my life from those men, not to mention he gave me something strange to heal me. And I could give a wild guess as to what it was.

Testing out my own voice I caught his gaze once again, a bit surprised at how talkative I was being today. "W-What are you going to do with me?"

The stutter wasn't intentional; it was just the effect not talking for so long had on me. Hearing my own voice for the first time in months had almost scared me. A flicker of disdain passed through the man's eyes, his heated gaze boring into my own like knives. "You are just going to have to be patient and see for yourself. For right now, you need to sleep."

 _Sleep? Why do I need to sleep? I feel a lot better than I did before._ My lip jutted out in a slight pout, but everything changed when I had seen an unfamiliar gleam in his eyes. As soon as they took their red form again, my mind went blank and my consciousness faded away, casting me out into a black abyss of nothing.

For some odd, unexplainable reason, I felt completely safe now that I was in his grasp. Maybe my life had gotten the blessing that it finally needed.

Maybe I would finally have a purpose for existing.

 **(o~o~o~)**

Warmth.

I was enveloped in a warm, comfortable cocoon as I could just make out the shifting of feet below me. I could tell someone was carrying me, with the arms that held me under my knees and around my torso. My head lay limply against said person's chest, and I could hear the soft, steady heartbeat of their heart beating soundly against their ribcage.

I shifted slightly, making the person grunt and fix their hold on me so that I wouldn't be dropped. "Finally awake? You sleep like the dead."

I tensed, stilling my movements. It was the man's voice. The man who had saved me, tried to kill me, and then save me again. Of course this was a strange pattern that made me feel more wary then I could imagine, but part of me felt…. _safe._ I couldn't explain it; it was a calming effect that slowly flowed over my body.

 _I should probably pretend to be asleep still, I still don't fully trust this man let alone to talk to him._

"You can't fool me, brat. I know you're awake."

It was almost as if he read my mind. I felt a frown descend on my face, deciding to slowly open my eyes to get a glimpse of the man carrying me. And, maybe I would find some way to get out of the uncomfortable position.

My vision was blurred, so I could only see the faint traces of his arms and torso. Blue, black, and red clashed with each other, and I could vaguely remember what the red was as it splotched some of the white parts of his shirt. But otherwise, he was clean.

Looking up into the crystal-grey orbs that were his eyes, I felt my cheeks start to heat up as my vision cleared. The man was staring down at me, slightly adjusting his grip around my back as I made to sit up. _He's as beautiful as I remembered,_ I thought to myself idly as he lifted a raven brow.

"Like what you see?" I almost wanted to make a witty retort, but he beat me to it. "Never mind me asking, it's written all over your face."

I gulped, hiding my red-as-an-apple face behind the sleeve of my torn jacket. Of course, the condition of it didn't help. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and I began to feel even more embarrassed. I hardly knew him, and yet he was teasing me.

Making an annoyed sound, I shifted forwards to link my arms around my savior's neck. If he wasn't going to let me down any time soon, I thought I might as well take advantage of the situation. He grunted, nearly letting me drop in the process as he once again fixed his grip on my form.

"Jesus, at least warn me before doing that. Unless you'd rather fall." He snarked, and I rolled my eyes at his flippant attitude. Despite his crass behavior, I shrugged nonchalantly and looked to the side. I had no idea where we were, and we sure weren't anywhere near my apartment or the university. Instead, we were walking down what appeared to be a private road. A _large_ private road, to be exact. Luxurious houses—or should I say estates—framed the sides of the road, all slightly the same size but several hundred feet away from each other. Ahead of us was a dead end, and the largest estate of all stood there, reminding me of the Winchester Mansion. In short, it was huge.

"Oi, do you even speak?" He interrupted my staring contest with the beautiful structure, lightly pressing his thumb against the side of my knee to get my attention. "You haven't said a word since before."

I bit my lip. This was going to be difficult. Yes, I did speak before, but all I could get out were a couple of words before my mind went blank. How would he react to knowing that I could hardly speak on a free will?

A frown marred my face, and I shook my head to indicate that I really _couldn't_ speak. At least, not yet. Not without feeling more comfortable around him. A surprised look flashed over his features before disappearing again, resuming his blank face. He made a ' _tch'_ sound to signal his frustration. "You're serious? Well, fuck," he cursed, though his voice held no emotion. "That makes things somewhat complicated…but I guess it would be more of a blessing at the moment."

 _A blessing?_ I tilted my head to the side, wondering why it would be exactly that. _It's not a good thing, I can't talk to you like a normal person could!_

I was starting to think that he could read my mind with the response he gave me. "You'll see what I mean once we get to where we're going. Obviously you're not deaf, because you can hear what I'm saying. So I assume you're either mute, or just stubborn to speak."

I huffed, watching as a corner of his mouth twitched in slight amusement before returning to his original look. Holding up one finger, I signaled that he was right with the first thing that he said, that I was mute. He gave a hum of approval, stopping in front of the largest mansion that we were now standing in front of.

"That's too bad, we're just going to have to get you something to write on. Anyways, you should probably know my name. Hell if I left you to call me 'that man' or something. I'm—"

He stopped short, and I raised my eyebrow in suspicion as he ceased speaking. He visibly tensed, looking towards the front door of the mansion.

Standing in front on the welcoming steps was a man, probably in his mid to late thirties. He was wearing comfortable lounge clothes, but his hair was a different story. It was combed neatly to the side, not entirely fitting the image. I wanted to snicker at the thick, bushy eyebrows that donned his face, but decided against it as I met cold, untrusting blue eyes. Whoever this man was, he was not taking kindly to the unannounced arrival.

"What do you think you're doing, Levi?"

 **(o~o~o~)**

 **Yes, I know. We all hate cliffhangers.**

 **I really have NO EXCUSE for updating so late. Things have been very busy lately and will continue to be. I wish I had more time to update, but It looks like I'll have to take a short hiatus from some stories, probably not including this one. Please expect another late update, though, I promise I'll make the next chapter twice as good as this one!**

 **I'm so glad you all like the story. Please continue to follow me, you make it worth the time to update and continue!**

 **Cheers.**

 **~M**


	3. Struck

**A/N: So I think this is my favorite story I'm writing right now, because I actually know what I plan to do with it lol**

 **Enjoy, sorry for the short author's note (:**

 **Updating regularly is going to be extremely hard, but thank you for still following this story!~**

 **(xOxOx)**

" _What do you think you're doing, Levi?"_

When the blonde-haired man had said his name, my heart skipped a beat in my chest. Strangely enough. It was suiting for him; the man named _Levi._

Said man narrowed his eyes at the question, probably contemplating what to use for his answer. If I hadn't known any better, I'd say that these two didn't get along very well. The scowl that was written on his face said it all. "Erwin, can't it wait? I'm a bit busy at the moment."

"Why have you brought a humanhere? You know how dangerous it will be for her." The man named Erwin scolded gravely, walking down the first few steps and stopping at the bottom of them. Levi's scowl deepened, and he tightened his hold on me almost painfully. He noticed the expression I wore and immediately loosened up.

"It should be fairly obvious. And right now, you're wasting my damn time." He bit out, beginning to walk in the direction of the burly male in front of us. His gaze was set firmly on the house, wanting to enter through the main door. _We're going in there?_ I questioned myself quietly.

" _ **Stop**_ _,_ Levi."

And just like that, the words had held the ravenette in place. It was as if he was tied down, without anything else to say against it. "It's obvious that you are out of your mind. Wait," Erwin paused, a flash of disbelief crossing his features. "You're not going to feed on her, are you?!"

I gasped in horror. He was going to _what?!_

"What?" Levi's eyes widened in shock at what he implied. It was almost comical to see something other than the blank look he's been wearing all this time. I resisted the urge to struggle, continuing to listen to what he had to say. "That's not exactly what I had in mind, Erwin."

 _Not exactly?!_ I squeaked mentally, tensing up uncomfortably. That's what he wanted to do before, was drink from me. It was all clear now. But why hadn't he?

" _Why don't you stop using that accursed hold on me and just let me feed?!"_

I let out a noise, signaling my remembrance. That's right, he _did_ want to drink from me. But then, he mentioned not being able to. Levi looked at me out of the corner of his eyes, his expression now sober. I was too nervous to stare back. My trust in him was slowly decreasing the more they talked about…this _feeding_ thing.

"Enlighten me, then." Erwin gave the shorter man a strong glare, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Levi let out a sigh of frustration, returning his glare with the same level of ferociousness.

"I'd be happy to," the raven-haired man agreed, opening the door to the mansion and stepping inside. He called over his shoulder, "if you'd just give me a few minutes first, I'll oblige." And without another word, he made his way through lavish halls still carrying me.

The interior of the mansion was nothing short of beautiful; cream colored walls with a few Picasso and oil paintings here and there, and the clacking of heels could be heard on the marble floors. Levi had no trouble whisking the both of us up the large, grand staircase in the center of the front room. The rails were tinted—or plated, which I wouldn't know—in a gold hue, which completed the setting and enhanced the features of the luxurious place I would even deem as nice as a palace.

I lost track of how many lefts and rights we took when reaching the top of the stairs, the vast footage of the mansion appalling me to no end. Eventually we came to a stop in front of a set of sliding glass doors that led to a balcony, the scenery below it vast.

Careful not to drop me, Levi slowly pushed on the handle with a slightly free hand, opening the door and stepping through it. I winced as the sunlight once again hit my face, the brightness paranoid my senses since I had only woken up a little bit ago. The raven-haired man set me in a comfy chair close to the edge of the marble railing, gazing down at me with an expression I couldn't place.

His eyes were a beautiful shade of grey, with just the hint of blue in them. It was weird; when I looked into them, I felt like I knew this man for my entire life. But that was impossible, I've never met him before. My facial expression must have gave away what I was thinking, because the corner of his mouth kicked into a half smirk, causing me to blush. It went away as quickly as it came.

The raven-haired man took a seat opposite of me, finally giving me some space of my own. Not that I minded when he held me, but I did want to stretch out my sore body a bit more. He crossed one leg over the other—a very feminine way to do it, but he somehow made it look more masculine—and rested his chin on his knuckles. I squirmed a bit in my seat, trying to look anywhere but him. _He's making me self-conscious, and he doesn't even know it._ I thought bitterly.

Minutes ticked by, and we sat there in utter silence until someone who looked to be a maid stepped out onto the balcony, a tray in her hand with two glasses on top. A wine glass filled with a thick red liquid, and another filled with a type of sparkling beverage that was clear. Probably sprite?

She walked briskly towards us, placing the two drinks on the table in front of us. Taking a step back, she bowed at the waist with the tray held against her abdomen. "Is there anything else I can do for you, my lord?" She asked politely.

 _Lord? Is he someone of royalty or something?_ I shuddered. _Just what did I get myself into this time…_

Levi gave her a short, curt look before waving a dismissive hand at her. "No. You are free to go, Marianne."

The maid, who I now knew as Marianne, smiled before bowing again and turning to leave. Before she could take another step, Levi's eyes sparked, signaling that he must have forgotten something after all. "Actually…there is something else you can do for me," he stretched out his hand to her expectantly. "Give me your notepad and pen."

Marianne gave a confused look, blinking a few times before smiling hesitantly, reaching into her apron and pulling out what he had asked for. Placing both the tools in his hand, she gave yet another bow before scurrying away. _She seems too eager to leave for my taste,_ I scrunched my nose up in disappointment.

"Here."

Without giving me a proper warning, Levi tossed the notepad and pen into my lap, not giving me enough time to actually catch it. I picked them both up, my face taking on a puzzled look. The man made a _'tch'_ sound, annoyed at my confusion.

"You can't speak, right? That's for you to use. Write down what you want to say on it, because unfortunately for you I don't know sign language or anything of the sort."

 _Oh, that's what he wanted. Clever one, aren't you?_

My lips formed an 'o' in understanding, and I gestured for him to continue. Levi reached forward, grabbing his glass filled with red liquid off of the table and bringing it to his nose. For a split second, his eyes flashed a bright, shocking red color before returning to their normal state. For some reason, I couldn't find myself to be afraid of it. As if it was something… _normal._

I had a vague idea of what he really was, because I knew he wasn't human. But if he was one of them…the ones who had attacked me in my earlier years…

 _Run. I have to run if it comes to that._

Even if my thoughts told me to, my body and heart refused to give in. It was like I didn't control myself anymore.

Levi let out a deep sigh, his features laced with disgust as he took a long sip of the liquid. After taking his lips away from the glass, he relaxed, placing it back down on the table. "My first question is…" he looked straight into my eyes, a curious glint in his. "What's your name?"

I gave him a small smile, shrugging my shoulders at the obvious question. Of course he would want to know that first, it was only fair since I knew his. Clicking on the end of the pen, I began to write on the first sheet of the notepad. After I was finished, I tossed it back weakly to his side. Even though the pass was bad, he caught it with little effort and brought it to his face to inspect it.

 _ **Thank you for the notepad, it makes this so much easier. My name is Charlotte, Charlotte Brewer. And you?**_

It was a simple greeting, but a greeting nonetheless. Levi looked up from the notepad page, tossing it over to me once again. "Charlotte? I'm surprised, I expected a name like Brittany or Tiffany or something. But that's just fine."

I glared at him, causing him to chuckle dryly in amusement. No way in hell was my name _that_ terrible.

"You probably already know this, but my name is Levi. Levi Ackerman," he clarified, giving me his full name. Of course, his last name suited him just as much as his first name. "Another question, why were you in that alley with those men? A women of your age shouldn't be walking alone at night, and I doubt that you haven't been told that before."

I bit my lip. Of course I've been told that before. I _knew_ that it was a bad idea, but I did it anyways. I guess I was still young and stupid, after all. I didn't want my disappointment to show on my face, but clearly it was visible to Levi. His facial expression looked hard and unforgiving, but his eyes held what looked to be remorse.

I jotted some more things down on the paper, furiously scribbling word after word as I thought of what to say. Once I was done, I yet again tossed it over to him.

 _ **You're right. I have been told that before. The reason why I was out by myself was because I finally had the money to buy myself a decent meal, and spend some time alone, so I decided to walk over to a small Italian restaurant near my house to grab something to eat. It was only a ten meinute walk, so I thought that if I made haste I would be okay. But I was clearly wrong.**_

 _ **I passed a bar on my way there, and there were some men that were lounging in the front. They were huge, and they let off an air that screamed dangerous. I hoped that they wouldn't see me walk by them in my hurry, but unfortunately they did, and they began to trail me. I got so scared, I didn't know what to do...all I could do was run, but I wasn't paying attention and I ended up in that alleyway. And then, they attacked me.**_

The ravenette's eyes skimmed over the text lazily, taking in my words as he looked up to meet me again. If I thought I had seen pity before, I was definitely seeing it now. It was unnerving, to say in the least. He sighed, scooching over in his seat to make a medium-sized gap between him and the chair's arm.

"It's a pain going back and forth with that thing," he nodded his head to the side, urging me to come over to him. "Sit next to me so I can see what you're writing."

 _He wants me to sit next to him?!_ I cried mentally, my nervousness increasing tenfold. It was one thing that he held me before, but now I would have to be so close to him again. I squirmed, wiping my clammy hands on my pants. Levi's lip lifted in disgust at the notion, but he couldn't really say anything. His shirt was still covered in blood, after all.

"Well?"

Gritting my teeth, I stood up and took slow, calculated steps towards him. I tried to forget the close proximity between us as I gently sat down, my thigh rubbing his. For a man, he was rather small, but that didn't matter. He was still bigger than me, nearly _everyone_ was bigger than me. I silently cursed my form before taking the notebook from his hands.

 _ **I also have a question for you.**_

His eyebrow rose in inquiry, and he crossed his arms over his chest. My heart fluttered by the handsome image he painted. "Oh? And what's that?"

I turned to the next page of the notepad, writing down everything in bigger letters so that he could see. Just in case he couldn't see from his position still. My hands shook nervously, afraid of what he would use as answer.

 _ **I know you're not human, so what are you?**_

…

…

 _RIP!_

I jumped at the sudden movement of his hand. I could barely see him move when he tore part of the leather off the chair, indentions of his finger-nails in the material. He glared to the side, clearly not happy with my question. "Straight to the damn point, aren't you?" he growled under his breath, trying to reign his temper in.

I nodded a bit hesitantly, not keen on seeing him lose his cool. Even though I wasn't necessarily afraid of him, I still thought that he was pretty frightening.

He threw the piece of leather to the side, his fury evident in his grey-blue pools. Slowly, he creeped forward, his face getting closer to mine. My cheeks instantly exploded with color. He was only about an inch away, and our noses almost touched. This man was probably going to be the death of me, _again._

"Let's say that you're right about that justification." My eyes widened, and my back hit the other side of the chair as I tried to create space between us. "What would you do then, _Charlotte?"_

He said my name mockingly, a teasing sound to his voice as he asked me this. I cringed, fiddling with my fingers in my lap. What should I say? Somehow, I knew he wouldn't intentionally hurt me, but the obvious anger he showed was a bit scary.

I was stuck in this position, debating whether to continue writing on the notepad or not. Squeezing the pen a little harder than I intended to, I bit my lip and began to write. I could feel Levi's gaze on my face, making my cheeks heat up. Hoping that my answer was efficient enough, I showed him the notepad.

 _ **There's nothing I can do, really. For some unexplainable reason, I trust you. Even though I probably shouldn't. You**_ **did** _ **save me, after all. And even if I tried to run from you, I can already tell that my efforts would be in vain.**_

After reading this, Levi visibly relaxed and pulled his face away from mine, my breath coming out in a relieved sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose, scrunching his face in thought. "You're right. You wouldn't be able to escape me. In fact, anywhere else besides next to me is dangerous for you, so I highly recommend you stay close at all times."

I nodded sheepishly, drumming the pen on the notepads surface. But he still hadn't entirely answered my question. My curiosity began to get the best of me as I tilted my head to the side, giving an expression that told him to continue. Levi gave a somewhat weak glare, notifying me that he was getting there.

"There's no point in hiding anything from you anymore, that much I know." He muttered, crossing his arms and lifting a lip in disgust at the dried blood on his jacket. "Before you ask anything else, yes…" grey-blue eyes met mine, a lingering warning in them. "…I'm not human. And neither is the man that you met earlier, Erwin."

My breath caught in my throat. Of course I was expecting this, so it wasn't a _huge_ shock. But the fact that Erwin wasn't human either was a bit unnerving to know. I scribbled down more on the notepad, almost shoving it in his face so that he could hurry and read it.

 _ **Okay, that much was obvious. But**_ **what** _ **are you? And this time, please be frank. I can't say that this isn't freaking me out at least a little bit, but I promise not to run from you.**_

I could tell that Levi wanted to roll his eyes at my urging, but he went straight to the point, not intending to keep anything else from me. "In human terms, I suppose I'm what you call a vampire. But we call ourselves nightwalkers."

 _Vampire._

 _He's a vampire._

In all honesty, I had hoped he would call himself something else in that moment. This time, I felt pure, realistic fear. Not of him, but of his species.

The species that I had come in contact with before.

 _And that means that Erwin must be a vampire too. Or a nightwalker, whatever Levi said they call themselves._

My life was chaotic enough, and yet here I was, being introduced into the world of monsters once again. Something that I had tried so hard to forget came flooding back into my memories, making me tense. I started to shake, dropping the utensils in my lap and wrapping my arms around myself. I could remember the feeling of something sharp entering the skin of my neck, and the brutal force of claws scratching my arms, back, and torso. I could remember the excruciating pain I went through that day, when I was only a child.

Apparently, I was too caught up in my stupor to notice that Levi had a strong grip on my shoulder, trying to shake me out of whatever trance I had gotten myself into.

"Oi! What the hell is wrong with you? Snap out of it!"

Even at his stern command, I could barely hear him. And it wasn't nearly enough to make me come back to my senses. I was too terrified to listen. A small whimper of fright left my throat, and I placed my face in my hands, shutting out the rest of the world as the images of the past continued to berate me.

The grip on my shoulders loosened, and an annoyed sigh could be heard before something warm was placed on my head, ruffling my hair in an awkward but comforting way. "Calm down, brat. Nothing here is going to hurt you."

Levi's voice held no emotion, but even I knew that wasn't the case. I could tell that this was something he rarely did, if not ever. As if struck by an arrow, my body stopped shaking and the images I saw stopped coming. Everything was normal again, at least for a little while.

I let out a noise of surprise, taking my hands away from my face. I winced as the bright light of day shone into my eyes, making me feel a little warmer than I previously had. I felt better, all because of a few calm-spoken words. I snapped my head over to the raven-haired male, my mouth dropping open a bit to show my disbelief.

Levi took his hand away from my head, nodding in approval. "I'd ask what the hell that was, but obviously you're going to need some time before telling me."

I blinked. That was unexpected, especially coming from him. I smiled in appreciation, picking up the pen and paper from my lap. Everything was coming into place, slowly but surely. Now I just had to figure out why he had taken me here.

 _ **You're right. I'm sorry you had to see that. Not that I'm not grateful, because I am, but why did you decide to bring me here? You said so yourself that it's not safe…**_

Levi drummed his fingers against his arm absentmindedly, looking off to the side. At first I thought he was trying to avoid answering me, but that wasn't the case. He bent forward, picking up his glass from the table and swirling the red liquid in it as he stared at the contents in revulsion.

"There's a reason why I had arrived when I did while you were being attacked," he started, taking a quick swig of his drink and grimacing before putting it back down in a haste. "I could smell your blood from where I originally was, and it had piqued my curiosity so I decided to follow the trail."

I tilted my head to the side. I wasn't surprised; vampires _did_ drink blood, but what was so special about mine?

As if answering my question, Levi continued on. "Vampires drink blood, that's true. But I'm a bit different than most." He glared hatefully at the glass on the tabled, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "It's extremely hard for me to find suitable blood to drink, due to the repulsive smell your kind gives off. I can't stand it. What's worse is that I stray from feeding too long I begin to lose my sanity, which can result in me going into a blood rage. When that happens, I kill as many things as possible just to satiate my thirst."

"It's happened to me before, and I do anything in my power to keep it from happening again. But as the days go by, it gets harder and harder to control. My body starts to metabolize any blood I consume too fast, and my hunger never ceases. Until you…" he trails off, his eyes glazing over as he looks at me. The unknown emotion in his eyes confuses me, and I begin to feel a bit uncomfortable as he hungrily gazes into my blue depths.

Breaking out of his trance-like state, Levi shakes his head and clears his throat. "There is something different about your blood. Something I can't figure out, and that irritates me. And no matter how fucking badly I want to devour it, something in me halts my intentions. Therefore, I can't do anything else…other than offer you a deal."

I raised my eyebrows at this. I remembered the pained look he gave me when he forced himself to hold back from drinking; visibly sweating as he stared down at my exhausted body with hungry eyes. He continuously cursed at himself, trying to proceed forward through his haze.

It seemed that even if I didn't want to agree to this 'deal' of his, I would have no other choice. The gut feeling continued to get stronger as I motioned for him to go on. I would at least hear it before declining it. Whatever was going through Levi's head at the moment must have been quite hard for him to say aloud, because he hesitated for a second before speaking.

"I am willing to offer you anything that is within my power, whether it be my aid, or simply my presence. And in return, you will give me the blood flowing through your veins to satiate my thirst, whenever I need it. Since your word will basically be law, I won't be able to take anything from you without your consent."

 _Wait, what?!_

At seeing my panicked expression, Levi was quick to cut me off, grabbing my shoulder in an attempt to halt my movements. "I will only take what I need, it will be quick and painless. It's almost like donating blood, only faster. There is nothing to be afraid of."

It sounded crazy; _all_ of this sounded crazy. Not only was I being asked to participate in his vampire business, I was being asked to be his _food._ Then again, he did say that I could get anything from him, as long as it was within his power. I wasn't one to usually be greedy, but in my current position I couldn't really afford to be picky with my choices, needy or not. And he _was_ offering.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes to clear my mind. I could feel his gaze on me, waiting for me to respond. The air he gave off was something I haven't felt from him before; nervousness. He didn't seem like the type of person who made deals with people, so he must have been seriously desperate.

I jotted a few things down on the notepad. _**It's only a little blood…right? And it won't hurt?**_

"Yes. And no, it won't hurt. Just a slight pinch." He promised, gripping my shoulder tighter in his grasp as if hoping I would agree. What did I have to lose? Nothing, really. I bit my lip, contemplating this agreement.

More things were scribbled on paper. _**And just how long are we going to be in this…um…**_ **deal** _ **for? I'm not going to be around you all of the time, am I?**_

"Should you agree, we will be in contract until I can find other methods to quench my thirst. And if that's what you want, then I guess I'll only come when called." Levi made a 'tch' sound, not happy of the idea of waiting on someone. I felt a small smile form on my lips. He almost sounded like he'd be a butler of sorts.

"Whatever you're thinking right now, brat, forget it. I may be offering you a hell of a lot right now, but it is more for my benefit then yours. Trust me on that."

There wasn't anything I could really say to him, other than I would agree. I didn't really mind helping him out; he did save my life, after all. And he even said he'd give me extra protection, which I _really_ needed these days. I just hoped that I was making the right choice.

… _ **Alright.**_

Levi's eyebrows shot up in surprise, as if not reading my words correctly. "What?"

 _ **I said alright. I'll do it, I'll be your personal blood bag or whatever. But there's something you need to let me know right now.**_

"…What is it?"

I paused, staring into his grey-blue orbs. Lingering in their depths was something that I had seen earlier in them; hunger. He was starving, I could tell. It wasn't easy to notice before, but now that I had a clearer view of his face, it was easy to see. His face was sunken in, his skin a sickly pale shade while his eyes had dark circles under them, like he was extremely tired. His lips were a bit chapped, the usual pink color faded to a much lighter salmon color. Why hadn't I noticed this earlier?

 _ **You're hungry. Starving even, aren't you?**_

At my sudden declaration, Levi's eyes widened, coldness etching his features at he looked away stubbornly. He clenched his teeth in anger, not wanting to admit that I was right. I poked his arm, trying to turn his attention back on me. He looked at me out of the corner of his eyes, most likely paying little to no awareness of me.

 _ **Be honest with me, Levi. You look as if you're on the verge of death. If this is what I'm meant to do, then I'd be happy to help you. I can't say that this isn't crazy, because it is…but for some reason my heart and my head tell me to help you. So I'm going to do just that. If it's stopping you from hurting other innocent people, then go ahead. I don't mind.**_

Placing the pen and notebook on the table, I sat up straight and pushed my auburn curls back over my shoulder, exposing the skin of my neck. It felt as if I was an animal, offering myself up as a sacrifice. I tried not to cringe back at the look the ravenette gave me.

His ravenous eyes turned a feral, ferocious red color, and I could tell he was holding onto the last string of his will. His lip lifted in a snarl, and his sharp canines became visible as they lengthened a few centimeters. His breath grew ragged as he creeped closer to me, roughly pulling me into his side. Levi's eyes showed the hesitance that his face did not, and I could feel his breath on my neck, making chills run down my spine. It was an odd feeling.

 _It's okay, you don't have to hold back anymore._ I whispered to him in my mind. Even though he couldn't hear me, I could tell that he understood me anyways. His grip on me tightened, almost painfully as I patted his back in reassurance. I wish I could tell him audibly that everything was alright, but my fear completely halted my voice. It was seriously annoying.

"You're too accepting, brat. And that's more of a curse than a blessing."

I felt his teeth poke at my jugular, and I stopped breathing altogether. He was so close. So close to taking what he needed and sealing our deal.

"But I'm willing to respect that."

With those last words muttered in my ear, he opened his mouth wider, striking like a venomous cobra and imbedding his fangs into the sensitive skin of my neck.

 **(xOxOx)**

 **I'M ALIVE!  
Okay, so I planned on updating WAY Sooner but life has definitely caught up to me and I am too busy to keep a regular updating schedule. I apologize dearly to you all.**

 **Thanks for reading! I'm not sure when I'll update next, but we will officially be getting into my first story arc!**

 **Much thanks!**

 **~M**


	4. Crave

**A/N: I regret nothing…..**

 **Carry on.**

 **(oxo)**

 _It hurts! God, it hurts!_

As soon as Levi's fangs had pierced my neck, a burning sensation erupted from my jugular. It was extremely painful, and I began to push away at his shoulders. But of course, he didn't budge.

I wanted to scream and cry as loud as I could just so that he would stop, but that wasn't possible. I couldn't speak, after all. And if I didn't do something soon, he would end up taking all of the precious liquid running through my veins.

" _Relax. If you're too tense, it will hurt you."_

I jumped, resulting in more pain springing to where he bit me. The voice in my head surprised me and I instantly knew from the sound of it that it was Levi's. The pull of blood from my neck had stopped, and he waited cautiously for my answer.

He was right. During the ordeal, my body had tensed unnaturally in his arms. I hadn't even noticed until he told me, but who wouldn't be in this situation?

I sighed, nodding my head once and forcing my muscles to loosen. When I felt his teeth pierce me again, this time it was different. There was no pain. Instead, it felt somewhat relaxing. Probably because of all of the blood I was currently losing.

" _Good."_ Levi complimented me, giving my back one firm pat. _"Once you let the endorphins from my fangs run into your bloodstream, it will feel painless. The more that we do this, the easier it will become on you and in time you will feel next to nothing when I bite you."_

I shouldn't have accepted his declaration, but I did. It was almost as if my will wasn't my own anymore. That still didn't explain the feeling I felt from him.

As my consciousness started to dim, he began to pull back significantly. Whatever pain I was feeling before was long gone and I sighed easily. Good. If I _was_ going to continue with this, I'd rather not feel like my entire being was on fire.

Levi retracted his fangs, giving one final pull of my blood before pulling away all together. My stomach churned a bit when I saw the remainder of the red liquid around his mouth, hoping that my face wasn't turning green in the process. I was never fond of seeing my own blood, nor other people's. I wasn't a fan of anything related to gore, really. I'd definitely have to get over that.

Suddenly, my body began to tip over as I lost my balance. Before I could hit the ground, Levi's hand shot out, holding onto my arm to steady me. My vision was beginning to fail (a feeling I was slowly becoming familiar with) and I had a hard time staying awake. A disapproving noise left the vampire's throat, and he guided me down onto the plush loveseat behind me.

"Just take a second to regain some of your strength," he ordered, steely eyes raking over my form. He seemed hesitant at first, but a moment later he reeled in his hand. "I'll return momentarily. I'm going to go change into a fresh pair of clothes, so don't move from this spot. I'll know if you do." he glared for good measure, gesturing to the side of my neck where he had bitten me. "Those marks should heal in a few minutes. Considering we have shared blood, the healing properties in mine should now coexist with yours for a while."

With that, he turned on his heel and made a break for the sliding glass door to the balcony. Levi looked over his shoulder once more as if making sure I was still there. "Remember, _stay there._ "

As soon as he disappeared into the beautiful building I let out a breathe I hadn't know I was holding in. A slight numbing sensation had taken over my neck, notifying me that the healing process Levi had talked about had begun. It felt strangely light, like there was something placed there but not directly on my skin, almost as if someone had pressed a feather-light touch there with their fingers.

I sighed, reaching over the coffee table to take a couple of napkins that were given to us by the maid. I pressed them lightly to the bite mark, just in case the bleeding had gotten worse. It was gradually receding, but I couldn't be too careful. I was in a house full of vampires, after all.

The sliding glass door had opened behind me, and I turned my head. That was unusually fast, even for a vampire to come back. I almost wanted to say welcome back, but I remembered that I was mute which made that impossible. _Welcome back,_ I thought.

I was wrong. So very wrong.

"I thought I smelled something simply _delicious!~"_

I tensed, the unfamiliar voice startling me as well as the...woman(?) closed the door behind her. With brown hair and chocolate brown eyes framed with thick glasses, she(?) looked like any other human would. But I knew that wasn't the case. Apart from the questionable clothing it seemed as if she were indeed female.

I stood slowly, putting my hands up in surrender. _Please, don't hurt me_ I mouthed. In a flash, the woman was standing on front of me with her hands on my shoulders. A crazed look flashed over her face, and her eyes sparkled with interest. The movement was so fast that I let out a frightened shriek. The woman laughed.

"Of course I won't hurtcha!" she trailed her hand to the bite mark on my neck, that wasn't fully healed yet. She waved a hand in assurement. "I just want to examine you a bit! I hardly get to try anything on humans since Erwin say's it would be dangerous to our kind if someone found anything out about us."

A flash of pain erupted from the wound as she suddenly dug her thumb into the wound, pushing and prodding as if looking for something. The scream I let out almost didn't sound like me, but this hurt worse then when Levi struck me with his fangs. I grasped onto her wrist so that she'd remove her hand, but she wouldn't budge. I gasped in pain, pushing anywhere I could to at least make her back away from me. She growled, restraining my free hand. "Stop squirming! I just want to get a little sample of your blood, human."

" _Hange!"_

The woman, apparently named Hange, flew back with such a force that when she hit the wall on impact she cracked the stone surface. Levi stood in front of me in a protective stance, a feral growl leaving his lips at the slightly dazed woman. He was wearing a red buttoned-up shirt with a black blazer, and black dress pants with dress shoes. He didn't look much different before, the only thing missing was his cravat. _He must like to dress formally all of the time,_ I winced and help my hand to my reopened wound.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, shitty glasses?" The ravenette snapped, picking her up by her neck with his hand. He shoved her back into the damaged wall with good measure, expecting an answer. I shivered at his cruelty, not keen on seeing the same anger I saw when he had first saved my life.

Hange rose her arms in surrender, seemingly aware that she was not able to fight back in the hands of her attacker. "Ease up, Levi! I only wanted to study her, she's the first human I've been able to come across in a while and-"

"I don't care." Levi cut her off, disapproval etching his features. His hand tightened around her neck, making her emit a choking noise. "You should know by know that if something doesn't have your scent, or your mark, you leave it be. It shouldn't be that hard to tell, my scent is all over her."

"Gee, getting real deep there shorty." Hange cackled, but the sound turned into a gag when Levi enhanced the pressure around her throat. "O-Okay! I shouldn't have touched her! But it was your fault, you didn't seal up her wound. She was left vulnerable the moment you left her like that." She protested, frowning. His grip loosened a bit, a 'tch' sound leaving his mouth. She must have been somewhat right, and he let her drop out of his hold onto the cold ground.

Hange lay coughing and sputtering, trying to catch her breath. If a vampire was caught weak like this, Levi must have really been a force to reckon with.

My neck would pulsed, rivulets of blood escaping it as it began the cycle of healing itself all over again. Now that the marks were bigger, I was definitely susceptible to bleeding out. With all of the blood I had lost already, there was no question about it.

I whimpered, closing my eyes and falling back onto the couch. The pain was beginning to feel unbearable, and any minute I knew I would pass out from lack of blood. Without warning, I felt a hand grasp my shoulder. Somehow, I instantly knew it wasn't the lunatic woman's hand again and I thanked God that it was someone I could _remotely_ trust.

"Oi, Charlotte," Levi spoke in a low, stern tone. His voice didn't fail to send chills down my spine. I kept my eyes closed in fear of the pain I would feel if I opened them, the light more than enough to stun my vision should I had. "This may feel a bit strange at first, so stay still. I don't want to accidently tear more of your skin."

I nodded, mouthing my next words to him. _Please, just make the pain go away._ I begged, reaching out and grabbing onto his sleeve for leverage. He seemed to tense at this, but the feeling left as soon as it came.

He removed my hand from the area he wanted to treat, and I felt his finger lightly press into my wound as an icy feeling made me flinch slightly. I remembered to stay perfectly still for him, the sensation spreading a bit before receding. His hand swept over my neck in precision, the tingling feeling I had felt when it had first began to heal back. A second later, it disappeared and for the first time in hours I felt no pain.

I blinked. Was it really that easy for them to heal? If so, I was starting to think that they needed to donate doses of their blood to the hospital or something.

 _No,_ I rethought. _Vampires are fictional. And I'm pretty sure they want that to stay that way._ A finger tapped my cheek to snap me out of my stupor, making me stare into the face of a slightly annoyed Levi. _Sorry,_ I mouthed in embarrassment.

"It's fine." he dismissed, gripping my cheek and turning it to each side. When my vitals appeared normal to him, he released me and placed his arm back on his knee. I noticed that he was crouching in front of me. "How do you feel? Any nausea?" I shook my head. I felt fine, apart from the fact that he was so close that I could feel his breath on my face. God, _why_ was I so infatuated with him? I've barely just met the man-vampire-and I never usually catch interest in someone so fast.

"Very well. There have been some fresh clothes laid out for you, so in a few moments I will escort you to your room to change. I say 'escort' because unfortunately leaving you alone even for a second is _highly out of the question._ " he put emphasis on his last words, sending a hostile look to the brunette that was finally beginning to stand on her own without toppling over like a domino. She grinned toothily at the smaller man, clapping her hands together with finality.

"Oh come off it. She's like a pig in a wolves' den, of course she'll be sought out easily. That is, unless you intend to make your claim on her in front of the whole coven?" Hange snickered, eyes darting to my form before returning onto Levi's. I raised an eyebrow. I didn't know whether to feel insulted or embarrassed.

Said vampire smirked, the look still foreign even though it was an emotion I've only seen on him once before. "Oh don't worry, I will. I'd hate to have Erwin get all pissy with me because he heard that I killed a comrade due to the fact they couldn't keep their hands to themselves." he turned his body, grabbing my wrist in a light grip before leading me to the sliding glass door.

Hange followed abruptly, stretching her neck from the strain of being strangled. I couldn't help but feel weary as I followed Levi through the luxurious halls once more to a different room. The woman behind me had caused me pain without feeling any sympathy. How could I not feel aware?

Levi stopped suddenly, looking over his shoulder at the brunette. "Don't you have some creatures to go dissect?" he asked, annoyance lacing his tone. It was obvious that this woman had bothered him on a daily basis, and I couldn't help but sympathize with him.

Hange snickered, waving a hand dismissively. "As of right now the only thing I'm interested in working on is your cute little singer here!" she squealed, reaching a hand out towards me. I flinched back from it. I'd learned to try and keep away from her touch.

Before she could lay her hand on my face though, Levi's hand shot out and slapped it away. His eyes flashed burgundy, anger rolling off of him in waves as he pulled me in front of him. "If you value your life, I suggest you get the fuck out of here." He snapped, his patience thinning amicably. I didn't blame him.

"You're so mean, shorty." Hange pouted. She fixed her glasses, pushing them up farther onto her nose and spinning on her heel. She seemed satisfied with her teasing for the time being. "But from one friend to another—"

"You're not my friend."

"—I suggest you keep her close to you at all times." The brunette warned, cutting Levi off in the process. I felt my anxiety grow. There was a double meaning to her words that I really didn't want to find out. "There are many of us here that would like to keep her for themselves." Okay, seriously? I wasn't a damn trophy.

I wanted to glare at Hange, maybe even snarl at her, but I knew that wouldn't help my situation. I knew I wasn't going to be on my own anytime soon, especially with this scary grey-eyed vampire hovering over me constantly.

"You know as well as I do that stealing blood singers is against the rules." Levi pointed out. I tilted my head to the side. I've read about blood singers before. They were certain people that were assigned to a vampire by the smell of their blood. That being said, their blood would be highly potent not only to the vampire they were given to, but others as well. I only read about it in fantasy stories, I never knew it was actually true.

"But by all means, let them try and take her away from me." I winced when the grip around my wrist tightened painfully. Levi sneered challengingly. "I've been itching to kick someone's ass lately. Insubordination doesn't make any difference."

I rolled my eyes. _This guy…_ I thought, my eyes trailing over his form. _How important is he really?_

Without warning, Levi's whipped his head back to look at me in shock. I only tilted my head to the side. Did I do something wrong?

"You…" he trailed off, eyes trained on my lips. He looked up, gazing into my ocean-blue eyes seeing as my mouth hadn't moved. "Did you just _say_ something?"

My eyes widened. I shook my head in confusion, looking at him as if he were a newly-discovered anomaly. He knew that I couldn't speak out of free will, so why had he asked?

"Oh! Looks like it's beginning to kick in!" Hange cheered, raising a hand in goodbye as she made her escape down the hall. "As your bond gets stronger, so does the link between your minds. This is going to be interesting!"

 _Wait, what? A mind link?_ I questioned mentally, eyebrows furrowed. I wanted to ask her just what she had meant by that, but I was too late when her form disappeared around the corner.

Levi just stood there, his grip still tight on my wrist as he watched me with wide eyes. He opened his mouth a bit before closing it again, much like a fish. I only tilted my head at him. What was he so enamored with? 

"Think of something." He ordered, pulling me closer to him. It was comical just how short he was, but I couldn't be a hypocrite. I was probably three or four inches shorter. "Anything will do."

 _Uh…_ I trailed off, squinting. _Something?_ I offered sheepishly, my lips lifting into a soft smile. It was something, wasn't it?

Levi's expression was calm, but his eyes showed the inner turmoil that he was facing. "I knew it. I thought I was just hearing things before, but I hear your thoughts." He confirmed, raising a finger to my temple and lightly pressing on it.

I listened in curiosity, clenching my free hand and then relaxing it. I couldn't express how relieved I was. Now I wouldn't have to write on a piece of paper or mouth words to speak to him.

Levi sighed, retracting his finger. "I thought you had a whiny voice at first, but it doesn't sound like it now."

 _Wow, thanks._ I replied blandly, if you could even sound bland in your own mind. I was a bit disappointed considering I wouldn't be able to keep my thoughts to myself anymore. Unless there was some way I could block him out? I'd have to try sometime. Not only that, could I hear his thoughts as well?

I smirked.

Wouldn't _that_ be interesting?

"What the hell are you doing, brat?"

I ignored the raven-haired vampire as I continued to stare at his head, trying to pick up any sound or trace of thought. But no matter how hard I concentrated, I couldn't hear anything. Great.

 _Why can't I hear your thoughts?_

"You can." He assured me, tapping his own temple. _**Only if I want you to. It's mostly one sided.**_

And there it was. He sounded the same as he did aloud; bored and uninterested. I pursed my lips, maneuvering my wrist out of his constant hold and placing both hands on my hips. _That doesn't make any sense. Why is it like that?_

 _ **You're my singer. Do you know what that means?**_ He replied, almost smugly. I thought I could see a flash of a smirk on his face, but I could have just been seeing things.

 _Uh…kind of?_ I bit my lip. His definition of singer was probably different than mine. Fantasy books and Wikipedia did nothing to confirm my theory. Levi raised an ebony brow before guiding me forward, his hand on the small of my back. Despite his rough exterior, he was rather gentle with me. Why, I didn't know.

 _ **Oh? Tell me what that is, then.**_ We walked down a bit more, passing a few doors before heading inside an already opened room.

It was just as luxurious as the rest of the house. The room was large—probably big enough to fit my entire apartment in there, I kid you not—and it was painted a dark burgundy color. There was a queen-sized, four-poster bed with the same color comforter splayed across it. I wanted to sprint over to it like a child and jump onto the mattress. Could you blame me with how soft and inviting it looked?

There were two Cherrywood nightstands on either side of the bed, followed by the same type of vanity across the room. There was a cream-colored couch and ottoman that looked so plush that you would sink into it, placed close to what looked to be a walk-in-closet. The floor-to-ceiling windows completed the extravagant layout.

Yes, I was immensely jealous.

 _ **Oi, are you going to continue drooling over the room or are you going to answer my question?**_

I squeaked, the sound of Levi's voice in my head nearly making me jump out of my shoes. I would seriously have to get used to that. _Sorry, it's just that I've never seen a room this gorgeous before._

 _ **Get used to it then, because this is your room now.**_ He looked at me out of the corner of his eyes. _**Well?**_

I cleared my throat. Ironic since I wouldn't be saying anything out loud. _A singer is someone who attracts a certain vampire to themselves. Basically, they're created for one vampire and their blood calls to them…right?_ I asked hopefully, giving a hesitant smile. I made a beeline for the couch, sighing in delight as the soft fabric met my skin.

Levi followed suit, taking up the other end of the couch. He scoffed, running a hand through his raven-colored strands. _**That is how you would define it, yes. But you're not wrong.**_ He leaned back, throwing his arm carelessly across the back of the couch. I wondered why he wouldn't speak aloud, there was nothing wrong with his voice after all. Maybe he wanted to make me feel more comfortable? _**It's true that you're my singer, to an extent. But that doesn't necessarily mean that you were made for me.**_

 _ **Any vampire has the right to claim a singer that hasn't already been claimed. In a normal case, a singer's blood would only attract one vampire because they were created for them. To any other vampire, they wouldn't smell as appetizing as they would to their vampire companion.**_ He stopped, narrowing his eyes and gripping the couch tightly. I could hear the wood giving out beneath his hand. I silently prayed that he wouldn't ruin this couch like he had the last; it was too pretty to be demolished.

 _ **But that's not the case for you.**_

 _What do you mean?_ I questioned, a frown marring my features. I was listening as intently as possible, giving him my full attention in the process. There was something in his words that I couldn't place; and they sounded dangerous.

 _ **It's exactly as it sounds. You're different. Even though I'm strongly attracted to your blood, you're not my assigned singer. That could only mean that the vampire you were originally created for is deceased. And since he or she failed to claim you in time your blood potency increased, letting all vampires know that you were free game.**_ Levi scoffed, tightening his cravat with a sharp tug. _**Well, you**_ **were** _ **free game until I claimed you today.**_

My mouth dropped open. So _that's_ why he could hear my thoughts. Exchanging blood must have been some sacred act in the vampire world. And that's what Hange had meant by a bond, I'm guessing.

 _ **Calm down. If anything, we did each other a favor.**_ The ravenette drawled, crossing one leg over the other. That position seemed to be his favorite when he sat down. _**Had I not claimed you as my singer, someone else would have. And not all vampires are as generous as I am.**_ I rolled my eyes at that. _**They feed on their singers without remorse, and sometimes even kill them. I can promise you I'm not anything like that.**_

I nodded begrudgingly. I could only imagine myself with someone like Hange, who probably wanted a singer only to dissect them or something. That would be worse than all hell.

 _So if you're nothing like that, why did you threaten to kill anyone who touched me?_ I pointed out, grinning triumphantly. The vampire shot me a half-hearted glare, reaching over and snatching my chin in the palm of his hand.

I froze then, all playfulness I had previously felt being replaced with slight fear. His intimidation did nothing to help, either.

 _ **There is a strictly enforced rule that my coven made stating that if a singer has already been claimed, they are to be left alone. A violation of this rule leads to specific punishment from the singer's owner with consent from the coven leader. The coven leader is Erwin, the blonde male you saw earlier.**_ His steely-grey orbs met mine, an almost haughty light visible in their depths. _**I'm his second-in-command.**_

Oh. So that's why he was referred to as a lord earlier. The grip on my chin was becoming uncomfortable, and I refrained from ripping out of his hold in fear of angering him.

 _That doesn't explain why you said you kill them for it, though._

 _ **That would be my punishment to them. Should any harm come to you, I will have their heads.**_

I shivered at that statement. I felt honored that he actually cared for my well-being, but at the same time I felt extremely uncomfortable. Knowing that Levi could kill someone off, just like that, was a little unnerving. Vampires did have different lifestyles.

 _ **I doubt that will happen, so don't worry too much about it.**_ He reassured me, letting go of my chin. I instantly relaxed into the couch. Finally. _**There are few who would dare to defy me.**_

 _So everyone throws themselves at your feet? Don't expect that from me._ I teased.

I probably shouldn't have though, because once again I felt that hand on my chin again, this time tugging me oh so close to the handsome face of said vampire. A sadistic smirk took over his face, and I felt my cheeks explode with color. I had just broken my own rule; don't provoke the vampire.

 _ **Oh? Then I guess I'll need to force you into submission like I do them.**_ Levi purred, the sound enticing coming from his throat. Warning alarms went off in my mind. How could he become so out-of-character in a matter of seconds? I didn't know how to interpret his true personality, and that would probably be the death of me.

He leaned down, his breath fanning my face and his charcoal locks tickling my cheeks. I wanted to move, to get as far away as I could from him, but I was too entranced. His gaze made me want to melt like putty in his hands. Any closer, and his lips would touch mine.

It was obvious that he lived to give me heart attacks.

My eyes snapped closed. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't move, couldn't speak. I was completely and utterly under his spell, whatever that was. I would positively die if this man—vampire—took my first kiss. And out of lust, too. Not love. I wanted my first kiss to be out of love, not something as replaceable as lust.

Suddenly, Levi pulled away. A wave of insecurity washed over my body, causing me to shudder. I peeked open my eyes to see him struggling to keep the dark smirk off of his lips, a cocky light flashing through his eyes.

 _W-What the hell was that?!_ I snapped in embarrassment, crossing my arms over my torso and glaring at him. That only seemed to amuse him. He scoffed, returning to his original seat away from me.

"As if I would come onto a little girl. You're what? Fifteen?" he prodded, focusing on his nails as if they were the most important things in the world.

My mouth dropped open at the insult. Was he kidding? Just how rude was this guy? First, he tried to seduce me, and then bash me? _First of all, you ass, I'm twenty. Not fifteen._ I growled, making the vampire flick his gaze over to me. _Second of all, you have no room to talk. You're not even that much older than I am._

"You've got spunk. At least you'll give me a good challenge." Levi rolled his eyes. "Oh, and about the age thing? You're completely and utterly mistaken if you think I'm just _a couple_ of years older than you." He corrected, folding one knee over the other. He seemed impatient, like there was something he had to do other than watch me. Probably, he was an important figure where we were.

My eyes wandered elsewhere. Sometimes it was easy to forget that I was occupying a room with a vampire and not a regular man. Vampires were immortal, weren't they? There was so much more that I had to learn about his species. _So how old are you then, mister vampire?_ I jabbed, earning an irritated look from him.

"Don't have a heart attack if I tell you." He smirked, lacing his fingers together and burrowing himself further into the comfortable couch. "I'm 271. Fourth oldest in my coven."

I almost choked. He was _that_ old? I did the math in my head, and I could hear him chuckle at my pitiful attempt at solving it. I was never good at the subject, anyway. "Yes, I was born in 1745. I'm old enough to be your great, great, great—Fuck it, you get it. I'm pretty goddamn old."

I nodded, still surprised at how old he really was. _So who are the other three? The eldest vampires, I mean._

"Well," he began, moving positions and lacing his hands behind his head to get more comfortable. "There's Hange, who's the third oldest. You just met her." Again, I nodded. "She's 274, not much older than me. And then there's Mike, whom you haven't met but will eventually. He's 311." I raised an eyebrow. That was a long time to live.

"Last and the eldest out of all of us is Erwin, whom you also met earlier. He's 329. He took over the coven when his elders passed, though he was young when this happened."

I fidgeted in my seat. All of them were so old…I wondered if power came with age. If it had, I would most definitely have to be on guard around them. Another question popped into my head. _How old was Erwin when he was turned?_ I asked curiously, bringing my knees up to my chest. The origin of vampires was also a mystery to me; I had always thought they were created by a chemical error or something.

Levi snorted, an amused look on his face at the question. I glared half-heartedly at his failed attempt to keep his expression neutral. "Erwin wasn't turned. He was born a vampire."

Pause for the dramatic effect.

I slowly brought a hand to my mouth, trying to conceal my interest. So I was wrong after all. All of this new information was slowly turning me into some type of historian. _I-I didn't know vampires could be born…_

"Of course you didn't. Humans have different perspectives on a vampire's life. Some think that we burn when we're in the sun, or garlic affects us, yada-yada-yada. There's always something different added to the list, even though you're all inaccurate. It's actually quite annoying." Levi lifted a lip in disgust, and I begrudgingly agreed.

 _You can't really blame us for being so inaccurate, though._ I defended lightly, fluttering my eyelashes a bit. I don't know why I did it, don't ask. _We don't have valid sources to gather information from._

"Good. No one needs to know about vampires unless they're of same species." Levi drawled. "It's a pain in the fucking ass to have to wipe someone's memory clean if they find out."

 _True._

Levi nodded briskly, stretching out his legs and rising from the couch. His piercing grey eyes narrowed a bit. "That's enough questions for now. You need to go shower, you smell like dirt and drunk men."

I wrinkled my nose. His words were in poor taste, and I shuddered when he mentioned the men from earlier. I just wanted to forget about that whole ordeal. _Gee, thanks._ I replied sarcastically, getting up and making a quick break for the bathroom.

I pushed open the door, in awe of the bathroom that was no less beautiful then the bedroom itself. It was bigger than my bedroom! The floors were a pristine white that contrasted with the beautiful grey walls, the smell of the ocean teasing my nose as I took a light sniff. There was a stand-in glass shower not far from the Jacuzzi-styled bathtub, something that I was eager to try.

"There are a variety of clothes for your use hanging up in the closet," I heard Levi call from the bedroom. I narrowly missed his words because I was so focused on the bathroom's interior design. "I'll be back in about an hour, so you have plenty of time to wash and dress yourself. Do _not_ leave this room. I won't be far, so if anything happens—"

 _Yeah yeah, I got it. Scream, right?_

"—There's a trusted subordinate of mine who will be guarding you outside your door, so I'm sure she'll hear you before I do," I could hear a faint chuckle escape him, and I took the initiative to not roll my eyes at his seemingly mocking behavior. "But yes. As long as I'm around, I'll make sure no harm comes to you. So don't worry."

And with the low click of the door signaling his exit, his mind had faded from mine. He was gone, just like that. The feeling left me almost empty, and I hugged myself to ward off any chills I had.

 _I'll make sure no harm comes to you._

Damnit. A blush crept onto my cheeks, making me growl in frustration. I really didn't want to like this guy. Get along with him, yes. But become infatuated? Hell no. I already knew where that would take me.

Nothing good came out of falling for a vampire. And I had known that firsthand. One could only hope that I had built my walls strong enough, because if I hadn't…

I would make yet another brash mistake that would cost me everything.

And I was not going to let that happen.

 **(x0x)**

 **Wow, I finally finished. See that break line? Omg, I feel accomplished. Took me such a long time to complete this!**

 **Working on other stories + this one is very time consuming, but at the same time It excites me to get these out to you guys! So review and let me know how I'm doing, because it keeps me going!**

 **R &R, Follow, favorite, all that good stuff. Thanks for reading, and till next time!**

 **~M**


	5. I'm Coming With You

**A/N: Just a short author's note today.**

 **The hunt for a beta reader continues! If you're interested in beta reading my stories, please PM me or review. It would be a great help!**

 **With that said, enjoy~**

 **(x0x)**

The shower was heavenly.

The spacious area I washed myself in was so comforting, and I let out a relaxed breath as I felt the warm water cascading down my skin and removing any impurities I had received the day before. Everything was no less luxurious; the soap, the shampoo, even the loofa looked expensive. I could tell that they accepted nothing but quality here.

I hummed a soft tune while grabbing the loofa and squirting a nice amount of body wash onto it. The scent was pleasant as I inhaled the smell of strawberries and lemons, quite the mixture that reminded me of summer even though it was late September.

Finishing up my routine—shampoo and conditioner, and everyone likes a close shave right?—I plucked a plush towel from the rack beside the shower and wrapped it around my shivering body. Surprisingly there was no blow dryer, so I decided to air dry.

I stepped in front of a full-body mirror that was nailed to the bathroom door, taking in my form. I looked ghastly, I had to admit, with semi-dark circles under my eyes and paler-then-usual skin. Most likely the effects of giving my blood away. _At least someone managed to stay healthy in the long run_ I thought bitterly, opening the door and scanning the room to make sure no one was present before heading over to the closet.

My eyes popped open at the various choices given to me. There were clothes ranging from dark reds to ivory whites, each a different style to suit my tastes. They had really outdone themselves with trying to impress me, I was far beyond that _without_ the clothes.

Sweaters, shirts, dresses, skirts, jeans, shoes…anything I could ever wear was inside the closet. Taking a deep breathe to calm myself from letting out a girlish squeal, I reached to the side of me to grab a black sweater with autumn leaves etched into the knitted fabric. It would have probably been best to pick comfort over style, anyway.

Taking initiative to grab dark skinny jeans and chestnut lace-up boots, I made a face at the choices of underwear. There were several pairs of lacy black bras and panties as well as white ones, those being the only two colors to choose from. _I wonder if a male picked these out, either that or they're trying to boost my sex appeal._ I rolled my eyes, picking up the black set and making haste out of the closet.

As I was beginning to dress, a knock sounded at the door. I was hesitant to go over an open it however, because I wasn't sure if it was Levi or not. And with the house most likely full of dangerous predators, it wasn't a good idea to let anyone else in.

 _Oh wait, there's someone guarding the door. That makes it okay, right?_ I thought briskly, my eyebrows furrowing. I slipped on the rest of my clothes, sitting on the bed to lace up the boots. They were just my size and extremely comfortable. When I began to stand, another knock could be heard but this time it was a bit louder.

I rolled my eyes. _Whoever it is, they're really impatient_ I huffed quietly. A low sigh could be heard on the other side of the door, the feminine sound making my ears perk up. I hoped it wasn't Hange.

"Excuse me, Miss Charlotte? Are you done dressing?" the female asked politely. Her voice was soft, kind enough to make me lower my guard the slightest bit. She didn't sound hostile, but I couldn't take any chances. "May I come in? Don't worry, I promise not to harm you."

I stilled. This must have been the person guarding me. Levi had said that she was a trusted underling of his, so it would have been wrong not to trust him. I straightened my clothes a bit, trying to keep my nerves at bay as I made my way towards the door, gripping the knob lightly and turning it.

Once opened, I could faintly see the outline of a woman with orange hair and eyes the color of warm butterscotch through the crack in the door. As soon as she saw me, her eyes took on a gentle light that could only be described as kindness. "Hello, Miss. My name is Petra! I'll be the one guarding you when Captain Levi cannot." She introduced herself in a bubbly manner, making the tension fade away from my shoulders. I nodded, giving her a small smile as I opened the door all of the way.

I motioned for her to come in and she quickly thanked me, making haste into the room and standing in the middle. I tried hard not to grit my teeth when I saw that even _she_ was taller than me, though not by much. Perhaps an inch or two shorter than Levi. _Everyone is taller than me! Damnit!_

"Is something the matter?" Petra asked, concern laced in her voice. Her honey eyes trailed over my form in appreciation, and I shifted my weight on one foot to the other in trepidation. I shook my head.

She tilted her head slightly. "That's good. And I see you like the clothes I picked out for you; I'm glad." She gave a close-eyed smile. I simply returned the gesture. Petra seemed to be the kindest person I've met so far, and for that I was happy. Well, not that Levi wasn't kind, but he had a crappy way of showing it.

"Here."

Petra reached out to me, handing me a notepad with a pen on top of it. "It must be hard, not being able to speak aloud. But don't worry, I have a feeling you'll begin to love it here."

 **Thank you.** I wrote down, showing it to her after I was finished. She laughed merrily, waving a hand dismissively. "No problem! But I do need to know something." The cheerful vampire made her way over to the closet, momentarily reaching inside and pulling out a nice-sized duffel bag. I raised a brow in confusion.

"Considering you will be staying with us for quite a while," she began, unzipping the duffel with ease. "I'll need to know where you reside at the moment so I can retrieve your belongings. Wouldn't want to get homesick, would you?"

I shook my head, chuckling at her light teasing. It wasn't like I had anything that important back home. I could barely afford food, much less cute clothes like the outfit I had on right now. My job didn't support me as well as I thought it would when I first started. Being mute had especially taken a toll on me, less social workers meant less tips.

 **I suppose not.** I wrote. **Do you want me to give you a list of the things I need? Or do you want me to come with you? I think it will be fine.**

Petra's face fell when she read the words I showed her. A conflicted look stood upon her face, and her eyes wavered. She was hesitant to speak. "I don't think that's a very good idea."

 **Why not? You're guarding me, right? And Levi said he trusted you. I haven't known him for very long, but I can tell that he's the kind of person who doesn't take friendship lightly.**

"That's very true," the orange-haired woman agreed solemnly. "But he ordered me to keep you here. Both you and I would be in a lot of trouble if I let you leave with me." I began to scribble my protest down, but she held up a hand to stop me. "Trust me. It's more for your safety, under other circumstances I would bring you with me."

 **I understand that we have some sort of…** _ **deal**_ **with each other,** I wrote furiously, shoving the paragraph into Petra's face and nearly making her back away. **But that doesn't mean I don't know how to take care of myself. It shouldn't take us that long, right? And besides, I have you with me.**

"Miss Charlotte, I can't—"

I held up a finger, writing as fast as I could without being messy and showing her again. **If anything happens, I'll take the fault. What he doesn't know can't hurt him. And I promise to do everything you say while I'm with you so you can ensure my safety.**

It made me feel strange when I basically agreed to let her watch over me, especially when I didn't want to look weak. But in the gist of being around vampires, I had acquired that I stood no chance against them. If I had left with Petra, I'm pretty sure that normal human people would be more of a threat than vampires and that's why I was so persistent on going with her.

Petra lowered her gaze, contemplating my pleas. Then, she sighed in defeat. I knew I had won her over. "Alright, but we have to act quickly. Captain would have my head if he knew I took you without letting him know."

I clapped my hands together happily, a delighted grin on my face. I nodded a few times, placing my hands on my hips and waiting for her next instruction. "Before we go, though…your hair is still sopping wet! Sit down so I can dry it for you."

The next few minutes had consisted of a female vampire fussing over my hair and all the while I sat on the comfortable bed while she dried my auburn locks, ignoring Petra's rants about how a girl's hair was her best feature and that it should be taken care of with the utmost responsibility. It was then that I agreed to let her style my hair whenever the moment called for it.

Who knew that vampires cared so much about beauty?

 **(x0x)**

 **(Levi's POV)**

This was taking way too damn long.

I had hoped the conversation with Erwin would be much shorter, but unfortunately I was gravely mistaken. Sitting in his office, I listened to him lecture me about the dangers of keeping a human around other vampires where they were left vulnerable. It wasn't something that I hadn't heard before; I had heard the same thing every few decades from the elder nightwalker.

"Are you even listening to me, Levi?" Erwin's lightning blue eyes narrowed at me, completely oblivious to most of his words as he spoke to me. I lazily trailed my eyes back to him, leaning my head into the palm of my hand in boredom.

"If I'm to be quite honest," I drawled. "Not really."

He grew angry, clenching his fists in his lap. If he had been holding onto something, it would have most likely been broken. "You need to stop acting careless. I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation." He scolded, placing his hands on his desk in front of him and clasping them tightly. "You purposely brought a _human girl_ here when you know just how dangerous it is! The only way it would be safer for her around us is if—"

"I already claimed her, if that's what you're wondering." I cut him off, my words enough to relieve the tension from his stiff form. "We have a solid agreement; she is to give me her blood when I need it and I'm to protect her and give her a stable home, all that good shit."

Erwin paused, a small smile stretching on his face. "I didn't think I'd see the day when you would find your singer. I was beginning to think that you wouldn't have one."

"I'm not like you, that much is obvious." I said sarcastically, leaning into the plush captain's chair and crossing one leg over the other. "You have many different singers that come from time to time."

"That's only because I'm a pureblood, you know?" Erwin chuckled, and I could tell that he itched to run his fingers through his neatly kept hair. He was still irritated with me. "Listen, Levi. You're going to have to make sure that you announce your claim on her in front of everyone as soon as possible. I don't want to have to tear apart unnecessary fights between the coven members because of miscommunications." He stood from his seat, heading over to the window facing the lush gardens. I tried not to roll my eyes. It's not like I would kill anyone for sport, but a feral vampire was a dangerous vampire. I didn't need some idiotic brat stumbling along and scarring my meal, be that mentally or physically. And I really needed to stop because I sounded like an over-protective bastard.

"You're speaking to me as if I'm one of those pathetic runts you order around." I scoffed, tightening my cravat the slightest bit. "Despite being new to this, I'm well aware of the consequences should anything go wrong. You don't have to worry."

"I know you're more than capable of taking care of another person as well as yourself," he sighed, staring down at the workers who tended to the tulips in the first patch of flowers. "Just keep your temper in check. Don't take a life just because of mild curiosity. I give you permission to punish the underlings if they attempt to take her from you, but no death unless I deem it absolutely necessary."

I sneered, looking off to the side. "Fine. I don't give a fuck as long as I don't see any bruises or the like on her. I can tell she's been through enough hell already. I don't want her to up and leave on me, that wouldn't be good for either of us."

As much as I hated to admit it, Erwin was right. I was harsh on my subordinates at times, but it was better than letting them do whatever they pleased. I wasn't a gentle person; within our race, I couldn't be. I had many young vampires to protect and an entire coven to help run. If I had been any less strict, they would surely be led astray and lose their sanity or even their lives. Everything I had done up to this point was for the greater good.

"Very good." He turned to meet my gaze. "I wish to meet her, the right way. Where is she?"

"She's—"

 _ **CRACK!**_

The door slammed open suddenly, cutting me off and allowing me to send a heated glare to whoever dared to interrupt our private conversation. It was another one of my subordinates, one that had been lucky to receive my trust like Petra had. Eld Jinn breathed heavily, his shoulders moving with the harsh movement. He wasn't tired, just afraid. Of what, I didn't know.

"C-Captain Levi! I'm sorry, so sorry I didn't keep an eye on them—"

"—Hold on, Eld. Slow down." I ordered calmly, watching as his breathing became less frequent. I motioned for him to continue. "What's the problem?"

"P-Petra and the Miss are gone, sir…" he said slowly, afraid of triggering an outburst from me.

He failed.

A low growl worked its way out of my throat. The anger I usually felt when someone had disobeyed me what potent, betrayal flooding my veins. My eyes turned their monstrous, blood red color, and I did as best as I could to reign my power in. If I didn't calm down soon, the whole side of the mansion would be destroyed. It wasn't often I had a fit like this, but as of late it seemed to rear its ugly head more than I would like it to.

I was so fucking furious. Not only did Petra disobey a direct order, she had taken my singer and now they were most likely out somewhere where they could easily be attacked by other vampires desperate for a meal just as I had been. I would have none of it.

"Levi, calm yourself. I don't want to have another rebuilding session." Erwin snapped, and I felt his power covering me like a tight jacket. It was uncomfortable to say in the least, but it did demolish some of my anger. I grunted under my breathe.

"Eld, collect the others." I said as unperturbed as possible, my seething anger still visible and the scowl still on my face as I tried to desperately school my features. Eld saluted proudly, straightening his posture as he listened to my orders. "We're going after them. Now."

"Yes sir!" he responded, switching into his second-in-command role and in a puff of air, he was gone. My eyebrow twitched in irritation when I felt that I was still being restrained by Erwin. His expression remained taut, focused on keeping me still.

"Tch," I tensed against the bonds. "You can let me go now. I'm fine."

Erwin chuckled humorlessly, and with a snap of his fingers I was free again. I rolled my shoulders at the newfound freedom I had, my stiffer-than-normal muscles no longer restrictive. "I actually think that could have gone a lot worse." He said casually, placing his hands behind his back. I just shrugged.

"You know that becoming a vampire only heightens the emotions we feel."

"It seems to be more of a negative for you, unfortunately."

"Indeed."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" the blonde reminded simply, causing me to sigh. No, I hadn't forgotten. But it would have done me some good to recollect my thoughts before going after those two _very_ troublesome brats. I ran a hand through my fringe, repositioning my hair that I had ruffled when I struggled against Erwin's power.

"No," I turned towards the door, quickly making my descent down the hall as I called back to him. "I'll be on my way."

"Very well."

I continued as a blur down the wide corridors, gradually sniffing lightly and catching remnants of Petra's and Charlotte's scents. It pissed me off to find that they were somewhat faint, meaning they had left some time ago. Longer than I had thought they left.

I growled. _Those two better have a good reason for leaving without my consent. Because if not, there's going to be hell to pay. I'm getting too damn old to be babysitting, and that's with more than one exception._

As if I didn't already have a shit ton of work on my hands.

 **(x0x)**

The moment Petra and I had arrived at my apartment complex, she immediately knew something was off. It took me a little longer to detect, but as soon as I had, it was as if a flurry of something extremely dark tickled my senses, nearly drowning me in anxiety.

"Let's move quickly." Petra muttered, eyes trained on the building that contained my home. It wasn't far; a couple yards away. The run-down place had always looked like it housed danger, but it was never easy to feel before now. "Just in case we have to make a break for it, stay close."

Her words had a double meaning. She didn't need to say anything else. She could tell I was on edge, just like she was. I nodded firmly, slipping out of the vehicle and making a beeline towards my apartment with the orangette on my heels.

All of the lights were off, including the porch light, meaning it would be easy to retrieve my key from behind the light frame. I reached up, sliding my finger over a little compartment in the frame I had made when I first moved here. I thought it to be clever, rather than placing your spare key under a mat or in a plant.

Pulling out the key, I shoved it into the doorknob, hearing it open with a groaning _click._ Petra and I stepped inside, darkness meeting us.

It wasn't my intention to feel fear in my own home, but it was already palpable. I switched on the light, the simple action doing wonders to calm my nerves. I let out a sigh of relief, moving forward to hurry and collect my items. Before I could Petra's hand stopped me, her grip vice on my wrist.

I turned to look at her in confusion, but when I saw the cautious look in her eyes, I instantly knew.

Someone other than me had been in here.

The orange-haired vampire pushed me behind her gently, talking to me over her shoulder in a calming manner. "Stay behind me. Someone's been here already, and they don't smell human."

I shivered.

 _Great. If something happens…_ I gulped audibly, trailing behind Petra slowly into my room. _Levi's going to murder me. I bet they wouldn't even find my body. I'd be wiped off the face of the Earth._

"Don't worry." Petra interrupted my thoughts, her voice soft. "I promised I'd protect you with my life. I won't let anything happen to you, okay?"

My heart warmed. I hadn't known Petra for more than two hours and she had just dedicated her life to me. Whatever loyalty she had for Levi, it was stronger than I had originally thought. _Thank you…_ I breathed mentally, wishing I could speak those words so they would sound truly genuine.

Petra moved quickly, turning on the light and zipping over to my closet. Her movements were a blur compared to mine. I reached over, placing a few personal pictures into the duffel we had brought as well as pieces of jewelry that were handed down to me. My schoolbooks and notes were next, and I leaned over to grab my bag off of the floor. Sadly I had lost my I.D. and whatever money I had left during my…. _accident,_ so I didn't have anything really important besides those two things.

Petra placed a little over half my clothes into the large duffel (which wasn't much, surprisingly) and zipped it up, opening a smaller pocket before heading into the tiny bathroom to grab my toiletries.

I felt depressed knowing that I most likely wouldn't be returning here. Even though I would be living somewhere more suitable, this was still my home. I had been alone for many years, but even this dingy apartment had made me happy, knowing that I had accomplished something by myself for a change. It wouldn't be forgotten, that much was for sure.

Petra exited the bathroom, cradling necessities from brushes to bottles and placing the rest in the duffle. "Is there anything else you want me to grab?" she asked politely, giving me a small smile. I could tell it was a bit forced, though. There was still danger lurking in the air.

I shook my head. There were things like food and such that I had in my kitchen, but most of it was cheap cans and boxes of cereal. I barely had anything in my fridge, and most of the things I ate were either processed or instant. There was nothing I would miss in my living room; I only had a used, white-washed couch and a small television that powered down when you moved close to it. Just cheap things, really.

I held up a finger. _On second thought, I should take my blanket. That's relatively new._

Clasping the ends of the thin comforter, I swiftly pulled it from the bed. The air that flew up to my face was fresh and clean, a vague contrast to the filthy floors and walls I felt trapped in. I wrapped it around my form, the small notion doing little to comfort me, but at least I felt a bit warmer. I gave Petra a nod of finality, smiling when I was ready.

"Great." She chirped, slinging the duffel bag over her shoulder. "Let's go. We don't need to stick around for much longer."

 _Agreed._ I made a face, trudging through the tiny apartment. I was ready to leave, _now._

Turning off all the lights, I took the initiative to place the key in the same spot it was hidden in before. _I'm not so sure that will work anyways, if someone has already been in my home…then there's no point in hiding it anymore._

I followed Petra to the car, releasing my blanket from my shoulders when the warmer atmosphere met my skin. Petra let out a breathe she had been holding in for a while, a grin forming on her lips. "Phew. Let's get out of here."

I couldn't agree more.

Petra placed her keys in the ignition. "Don't worry." She assured me, twisting the ignition. "You'll love living at the mansion. Everyone will warm up to—"

 _ **WHIRRRR—**_

 _ **SNAP!**_

I let out a yip when a spark popped near the car's wheel, stunning Petra and I into silence. She twisted the keys again, listening to the same sound of the car refusing to start. Her expression grew livid; fright apparent in her eyes. "W-What on Earth…?"

 _The car won't start?!_ My eyes widened, and I tensed in my seat.

"Stay in the car," Petra ordered me, unbuckling herself and getting out of the car once more. She closed the door harshly, causing me to flinch back. She wasn't very good at hiding her emotions. They ran free, her expression changing every so often. I could tell that Petra was an honest person.

And suddenly, she was gone.

Not one noise could be heard. You could probably hear a pin drop from across the street with how quiet it was. I froze in utter fear.

 _S-She just disappeared…just like that…_

I shook my head, slapping my cheeks a bit and allowing the blood to flow back to them. No matter how badly I wanted to get out of the car, I wouldn't. I promised to obey Petra if I came with her. I wouldn't disobey her now.

A shadow quickly flew over the hood of the car, vanishing as fast as it came. I snapped my head left and right, seeing no trace of the frightening shadow anywhere. Was it Petra? I dearly hoped so. If not, I hoped the car would be safe to stay in for the time being.

I couldn't process what happened next.

In a whirl of movement, the car door was jerked opened, the lock not mattering in the case of the metal frame being snapped. I didn't see my attacker, only felt the brutal pull of hands at my waist and neck throw me from the vehicle while ripping my seatbelt away. I landed with a loud ' _oomf'_ on the pavement, my body screaming in protest.

The wind was knocked out of me, making it hard to breathe. I laid there, eyes trained on the starless sky all the while trying to regain my strength. I couldn't think of Petra anymore, I couldn't think of _anyone_. There was only one thing on my mind at that moment.

 _Am I going to die?_

Pain erupted from my knee, my mouth opening in a silent scream as I began heaving. Painful thoughts turned blank, my eyesight dimming as I couldn't contemplate anything.

Something shifted above me, holding my gaze steady. The shadow was back.

I stilled, watching as the dimmed figure reached out to touch me. I didn't flinch away from the clawed hand that caressed my cheek gently, as if I were a piece of glass. A sharp-toothed grin could be seen on the shadow's face, pearly-white teeth gleaming in the barely given moonlight. A chuckle escaped the being's lips.

"Such frailty. It makes me wonder why he would want _you_ as a belonging."

"Enough, Ezekiel." A voice commanded from the side, halting the figure mid-caress. "You have already done enough damage to her. If you harm her any further, there will be no point in calling for them."

"Of course. My apologies, mistress." The shadow, now named Ezekiel, shifted away quietly from me. I slowly turned my head to the side, catching a glimpse of a petite woman under the light of a streetlamp.

She was beautiful, to say in the least. My eyes met hers, and she gave me a sickly sweet smile. Her eyes were a pale green color, almost milky, that reflected nothing. They looked extremely dead, like you were looking at a deceased person's eyes. Shoulder-length tresses of the finest ebony was pinned away from her face, a few misplaced hairs framing her forehead and cheeks. A pert nose with full, blood-red lips completed her ethereal look. Finally, her skin was an ivory-pale color that alerted me of what she truly was.

 _Vampire._

"Hello, sweet one." She purred, trudging over to me with a cat-like grace. Fear reared back into my mind, kicking my body into high gear as I made to move. Unfortunately, it was impossible. My body was completely frozen, the invisible bonds chaining me to my spot on the ground. "Such a shame that my servant damaged you more than I asked him to. I apologize for that."

She kneeled down into my side, dragging a finger from my collarbone to my cheek. I shivered involuntarily. "Cat got your tongue?" she giggled, though the sound was dark rather than sweet. My eyes twitched, expression changing into a weak glare.

 _You wish,_ I snapped mentally, coldly. _If I were able to speak, you'd wish you had kept away from me._

The brunette laughed, placing a hand on her chest. "My, you're showing quite the fierce expression! Is it because of your friend?"

 _My friend? Petra?_

I growled lowly in my throat, confirming at least half of her suspicions. She waved a hand nonchalantly, freshly manicured nails touching her cheek in what looked to be contemplation. "Don't worry, we didn't do anything _too_ taxing on her. Just sent her far, _far_ away from this place." She cooed, running her hands through my disheveled hair. "She won't be back anytime soon."

I paled. That meant that I would be all alone, with these two murderous vampires for god knows how long.

 _I really need to start listening to others instead of thinking I'm doing what's best for me._ I grudgingly scolded myself, promising to whatever god there was that I'd follow directions for now on. If I somehow managed to get out of this situation.

The woman perked up slightly, alerting me from my thoughts. She gave an excited squeal, clapping her hands together once. "Wonderful! They're almost here!" she exclaimed. Her hands trailed down to my legs, giving me the audacity to blush. Seems like even in the worst situations I acted prudish. The pain was flickering back on my left knee, infusing all caution I had left.

The woman's eyes sparkled devilishly, spiking my wariness. That most definitely did not look good.

"Now, darling," she started, rubbing a hand on my thigh gently. I didn't mistake the movement for gentleness, though. It was clouded, dark in a way that I couldn't place, and extremely unnerving. "Just do me a _teensy_ favor, okay?" she asked, gripping my thigh with a bit more force and making me wince. "And _scream._ "

 _Scream?_ I hissed. _Why the hell does she want me to scream?_

It didn't matter, it was hardly possible for me to even let out the smallest yelps. The feeling was foreign. I refused stubbornly, not sure why she was so keen on forcing me to emit such vibrant sounds. I shook my head, casting a heated scowl her way. I wouldn't give into people who lived off of the fear of others for their own amusement.

 _Bite me, you damn flea._ I snarled mentally.

As if the woman could hear me, she giggled humorlessly, her expression growing much more unpleasant than before as her mask slipped. "I see." She mused, tilting her head slowly. Her hand drifted down to my knee, her touch disappearing from my body. "You are incapable? Then I will just have to help you with that."

Her hand struck my injured knee with a swift snap of her wrist, bending my kneecap at an odd angle and causing me to arch my back in agony. A white flash of pain shot through my body, further immobilizing me.

Whatever my morals were on emitting sounds before, they were completely demolished when I let out a shrill, blood-curdling scream into the night air.

 **(x0x)**

 **Oh would you look at that? A cliffhanger, ehehehe…. -Slowly backs out of room- just going to leave this here…**

 **Follow, favorite, review!**

 **~M**


	6. Scolding

**A/N: So the follows and favorites on this story are starting to go up! That makes me so happy, you guys don't even know. You're all awesome xoxo**

 **I've seriously been neglecting my stories lately, though. All except for this one I haven't tended to in at least a** _ **year.**_ **I know, shame on me. This summer should have been a gateway to more updates since I had an abundant amount of free time.**

 **Ahem. On you go.**

 **(x0x)**

 **(Levi's POV)**

It was when my squad and I were a few minutes from where the brats were that I heard it.

The agonized scream of a female.

And I knew the sound all too well.

"Captain, is that her?" Eld asked, picking up his speed and running beside me. I grit my teeth, nodding my head. Everything was starting to make sense. Petra's scent lead the opposite way, meaning she wasn't with Charlotte. A few new scents lingered in the air, smelling stagnant and dirty. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

I should have known _they'd_ be behind this.

Two other subordinates of mine, Oluo and Gunther, trailed behind while scouting the area with their eyes. I clicked my tongue, taking off faster than the trio. I wanted to get there before anything escalated. "Yes." I confirmed, the burn in my eyes almost making me want to rub them. They were shifting from grey to red every few seconds. "Whatever you all do, don't underestimate them and do as you're told. This could get ugly very fast."

"Yes, sir." They replied in unison. I gave a resolute nod, not saying anything as we turned a corner with ease. The smell of blood was sharper; nostalgia clouding my being. I wanted to scoff at the coincidental event. Ahead was an apartment complex, and I remember hearing the brat say she lived in the same place, meaning that this was most likely where she lived.

Three figures occupied the vacant parking lot. Two stood standing, and the other lay shivering in a pool of dark liquid. _Blood._ I instantly recognized, and if I hadn't as quickly the light whimpering would have alerted me.

We stopped a few feet before our enemies. The proximity between us and them irritated me; I was holding myself back from lashing out directly, knowing that wouldn't be the best option right now. Being patient was my best bet.

"Captain Levi," one of the figures, a woman purred seductively. "What an honor. It's been ages since I've last seen you. How are you as of late?"

I growled threateningly, already wanting to rinse my ears out due to the filth permeating them from her voice. "Spare me the fucking formalities, Cosmina." I replied coldly, my claws sinking into the palms of my hands. My stiff demeanor didn't hide my anger, and I could tell that they understood that by their smirks. "Care to explain why you've attacked my singer?"

Cosmina was a dangerous vampire. She held a position quite like mine in her coven, but it was shared by many others as well. Due to past run-ins, I've learned to keep my distance from her as she was always obsessed with Erwin. And the one way she figured out how to get under his skin was to make my life a living hell. No matter how many times I kicked her ass to the curb, she came crawling back out of the shadows like the insect she was. Hence, the situation.

"Don't worry, we don't plan on killing her." She assured me, her dead eyes alight with sickening glee. I looked down beside her to see deep azure eyes pierce me with relief. She was in pain, but only just. Cosmina sighed, looking down at Charlotte with a bored expression. "Pity, she smells delicious. I bet she tastes even better, too."

My glare hardened, the desire to sink my hand through her chest and rip out her heart potent. My bloodlust scattered through the air, and I could feel my team's eyes on me from behind. It was enough to make the witch emit a sadistic laugh. "As much as I would like to do that, I can't." She calmed down, twirling a finger through her brown locks.

"What is it that you want with her?" I barked, my patience thinning. My eyes occupied their monstrous form, no longer shifting. "Make haste, you are testing my patience."

"It is not I who wants the little human here," Cosmina sneered, running a finger down Charlotte's cheek absentmindedly. "Sister is quite interested in her. You'd be surprised just how intent she was on meeting this one."

I paused, my blood boiling to the point where I almost lost it.

 _Sister is quite interested in her._

"No." I refused quietly, the tone more devastating than the last. Cosmina's little slave tensed at this, and I took in the sweet satisfaction of making him fear me. They did not truly understand just how frightening I could be. "That's almost too damn funny. You know what? We're done here. Return her or I'll rip your fucking fangs out."

 _ **I scanned her, Captain.**_ I heard Gunther's thoughts wash over my mind, his voice collected. Despite that, I could faintly hear the dread laced within it. _**Her kneecap has popped out of place, and she has a compound fracture in her left femur. That's what's making her lose blood.**_

I snarled. _This damn brat…_

Of course she had gotten hurt again. It was clear to me that she could never be left alone, no matter how much trust I put into her or my subordinates. _You're going to get a hell of a talk from me once I take you back, kid._ I sent my thoughts to her, pulling out of her mind before she could respond. Her eyebrows furrowed, eyes glazed as she looked back at me with something akin to guilt. Good, she should have felt guilty. This would be the last time I would ever let her out of my watch.

 _Gunther, Oluo, take out the male. Leave Cosmina to Eld and I._

"You seem tense." Cosmina yawned, waving a hand over Charlotte's injuries. My eyes widened slightly when I saw that she began to heal, bones reconnecting with a sickening crack and skin closing over neatly. Healing was a feat that only elder vampires acquired. I myself hadn't even received such a power yet, but I would in due time. Still, I couldn't understand why the witch had harmed Charlotte only to heal her wounds over after. "But unfortunately, we're only here to leave a message."

Cosmina closed her eyes, reopening them a few seconds later to reveal ghostly white orbs. "Sister wants you, and the girl as well. We'll give you three months from now to think about your decision. But if you refuse…" the only light illuminating the area burst, sending us all into a black abyss. It didn't matter; we could all see in the dark, but she had fulfilled her purpose. "We will come after you." Cosmina smiled. "You'd do well to tell your lord about our proposition as well."

The brunette picked Charlotte up by her throat, peering into her eyes and rendering her body limp. The glaze in her blue depths had yet to disappear, the compulsion working over her body like a brutal wave of water. "Well, it was nice to stay and chat with you…but we really must be on our way. Ciao!"

And with that, she chucked the girl in her grasp as if she were a bag of garbage.

Charlotte's body came flying towards us, at a speed that put pitchers to shame. Skirting forward, I caught her with relative ease and set her down on the pavement. She was coming to. Finally.

"Captain, they're getting away! Your orders—"

"Leave them."

Eld looked appalled at my order, but didn't question my authority. I looked down, peering into Charlotte's unfocused eyes as they blinked rapidly and cleared. She gazed up at me with a questioning look, her cheeks flushed a light peach color. I felt the side of my mouth twitch; she was obviously embarrassed at the close proximity. Or maybe it was because it was a cold night? Most likely the latter.

I pushed into her mind, the grogginess she was feeling reaching me as I patiently waited for her to speak. "Here we are again, in a similar situation." I sighed in annoyance, tapping her cheek with my finger. "Oi, brat. Focus."

Hell would be paid.

 **(x0x)**

 **(Charlotte's POV)**

"Oi, brat. Focus."

Levi sounded extremely aggravated when he gave this order. Who wouldn't be if they were sent on a wild goose chase?

I shut my eyes, blinking a few times to fix my blurred vision. The situation was nearly the same as last time, minus the injuries. My confusion had rose tenfold when I had suddenly felt no pain, and after experimentally moving my knee around, I had found that it was fully healed.

 _Weird._

My eyes snapped open as I hurried to lift myself up out of Levi's hold, quickly searching the area. Three unrecognizable men were sprawled around, looking at me curiously and carefully. I did the only thing I knew to protect myself.

And that was to lean against the raven-haired male.

"Easy." He muttered, patting my back in an awkward attempt to reassure me. "They're my subordinates, like Petra."

I nodded stiffly. _Okay._

And then I registered his words.

Petra.

I let out a loud gasp, struggling to get to my feet without tripping over myself. The action somewhat startled him, making him rise and give me some space. "The hell is wrong with you?" he asked, a look of confusion on his face.

I made no attempt to reply. I only had one thing on my mind at the moment, and that was to find out exactly what happened to Petra.

A hand clasped down on my wrist, halting any further movement. "Calm down. What are you looking for?"

 _Petra!_ I snapped, frustrated that he stopped me in my haste to find her. _Where is Petra? Is she okay?! They took her somewhere, I'll never forgive myself if they—_

"Petra is fine."

I blinked. _But she—_

Levi interrupted me again, loosening his grip on my wrist. "She is making her way back here as we speak. The vampire you encountered was an elder, and with old age comes incredible powers." He waved his hand around the area. "For example; teleportation and healing." His eyes traveled down my body, but not in an uncomfortable way. He was genuinely interested in my current health status. "That's why you don't have any injuries. She healed you once she inflicted them upon you."

I ran a shaky hand through my hair, letting out a deep breath while trying to calm myself down. All the guilt and embarrassment started to build up into a ball, as I did nothing to suppress the feeling anymore. Levi gave me a knowing look.

"Just to let you know, I am never letting you go anywhere without me again." He growled, crossing his arms over his chest in a demanding stance. "Even _after_ I told you to stay in your room, you disobeyed me. And it would have cost you had I not arrived a second sooner. You got lucky, brat."

Lucky.

It was as if I didn't hear anything in the sentence besides that one word.

Lucky.

 _Lucky…?_ I repeated quietly, dangerously calm. The ravenette lifted an eyebrow, giving one firm nod.

And that was when I snapped.

 _How am I lucky? How does ANY of this make me lucky?!_ I wailed, clutching my head and gripping my hair tightly in my hands.

 _A day ago, I didn't even know that this would be the outcome of my life. I had no idea that you guys even existed._ Surprisingly, no tears fell out of my eye sockets. I wasn't sad, no. I was angry as all hell. _If I hadn't of left my apartment, none of this would be happening to me. If I had learned to keep my distance from others, to work my way around dangers, I would be fine right now._

 _If I was able to speak out and right the wrongs, I wouldn't be stuck in this situation. I wouldn't be attacked everywhere I go, and I would be able to be independent. I wouldn't have to rely on others for safety._ I clenched my fists, drawing blood as small, crescent-shaped marks dug into my skin. I looked to no one but the concrete ground. _If I hadn't of been attacked that day—_

I stopped myself before I could go any further. That was something that I couldn't reveal to anyone. I felt like I had proven a point with my words, at least to Levi. He was the only one who could hear my thoughts, anyway.

My effort was in vain.

Said vampire took a step towards me, a dangerous glint in his eyes that told me he knew I was trying to hide something.

"Why did you stop?" he asked coldly, restrained anger rolling off of him that further heightened the tension. His comrades stood off to the side, looking uncomfortable while witnessing our semi-silent conversation. It must have been unnerving to only hear Levi speak. "Go on. Finish what you started to say."

I swallowed harshly, lifting my chin defiantly which was a bit out of character for me. Most of my actions were due to the fact that I refused to tell him my secret. _No. I don't even know why you're trying to get a rise out of me when you know I'm not going to tell you anything._

"Like hell I am." He snarled, his eyes flashing red. "Either you tell me what you're hiding or I'll force it out of you."

It was truly frightening when his anger was directed at you, and not someone else like you were used to. But what could I say? I barely knew him for a day-and-a-half; therefor I had yet to see his furious side.

I backed away, preparing myself in case I had to make a run for it. If violence was going to be the answer to his problems, I sure as hell wasn't going to stick around long enough for him to lash out at me. I had enough pain for one day.

 _I thought you said you wouldn't hurt me?_ I defended pitifully, at a loss with what to say. I don't know, what do you say to stop an angry vampire from mauling you?

A sadistic smirk stretched across his handsome face, looking a bit unnatural even for him. It was obvious he wasn't used to such expressions. "I wouldn't." he confirmed, eyes still a vivid shade of red. "But I have other methods to make you talk."

Well, that didn't sound good.

 _Don't. You have no right to do that!_ I cried, holding my hands up in surrender. My words shielded me; but my hands did not. _I have never told anyone about my past. I have kept it a secret for a reason and I will continue to do so!_

His smirk was replaced with a glare, his form stopping a few feet away from me. "Then you leave me no choice." He sighed, closing his eyes. I tensed even more at this.

When they opened again, I was struck with a dark burgundy gaze instead of a light one.

It was like a thousand-ants were crawling up my spine as I was rendered motionless.

Mind you, I can make quite a bit of noises, but laughing was one I rarely let loose out of my system. Much less deep, gut-wrenching laughs that had almost hurt.

I fell, clutching my stomach as I let out shrieks of unattractive laughter that pierced everyone's ears. It sounded strange, such loud noises coming from my throat. I knew better than to find them pleasant, because I didn't even realize that my mind was being searched as I continued to laugh at the ticklish sensations running over my body.

 _S-Stop, I'm begging you!_ I tried to reason. I had exactly no idea that _this_ was a form of punishment. _Levi, it hurts! It hurts!_ Tears gathered in large pools, falling streaky down my cheeks in fat rivulets. Death by laughter was definitely a strange way to go.

"U-Um, captain…" one of Levi's subordinates stammered, his expression awe filled as he watched me scrawl on the ground. "Your powers seem to have the opposite effect on her. Shouldn't she be in pain right now?"

"No." he replied, wincing as another shriek of laughter met his sensitive ears. He continued to look for my haunting past, deep in the tissues of my memories. "Our agreement is keeping her from feeling any pain. Instead, it chooses a lighter method for her so she doesn't feel any pain." He rolled his eyes. "Doesn't matter to me. It works just as well."

 _You bastards, I'm right here you know!_ More humorous tears ran down my face. It was pure agony, being tickled without stopping. I almost couldn't breathe. _You have to stop! I'll die if you go any further!_

"Shut up and let me search your mind, shitty brat." He commanded roughly, and the tug of our mental link became stronger. Each time he got closer to his goal, the tickling sensation died down a bit. I was able to regain some of my breath, only to have it stolen away again by a wave of sensation that had me laughing full force.

 _I don't know how much longer I can keep this up_. _This sucks!_

"Found it."

When he said that, I felt a harsh tug on the ends of my mind, like he was pulling something out of hiding. The tickling finally stopped, allowing me to catch my breath and stop the embarrassing laugher.

It almost felt like he didn't find my most suppressive memory.

Breathing heavily, I watched as his eyes slowly turned back to their piercing grey color. They widened a fraction as they came back to rest on me. And even if he didn't show it, I knew what he was thinking.

He had seen it, and he was pitying me.

I wanted to cry at how unfair of him it was. I didn't want anyone looking into my past, not even him, so what gave him the right to pry into my memories and look without asking?

"You…"

 _Are you happy now?! Did you find what you were looking for?!_

I put my face in my hands, feeling furious and ashamed as tears started to escape my eyes. Weak, angry tears. I didn't see his expression, or anyone's for that matter and nor did I care to see them. "Listen, brat…" Levi started, his tone flat as he trailed off.

I shook my head. _No, don't say anything._ I snapped, rubbing at my eyes. _Why couldn't you just mind your own business?!_

"There are many reasons why I did what I did." He said, leaving no room for discussion as he sighed. _**We'll talk about this later.**_ He muttered in my mind, turning his head and looking over his shoulder at the others. "Oluo."

A ragged blonde man who resembled much like Levi perked up attentively at his call. "Yes, sir?"

"I want you and Gunther to go meet Petra halfway. If you see anything on your way, alert us at once. Eld and I will be taking Charlotte back with us."

"Of course, sir." Oluo saluted sloppily, turning to Gunther and giving him a nod. The black-haired man nodded back, both confirming that they were ready to leave as they sped off into the night, both blurs to the naked eye.

Levi turned back to me, extending out a hand expectantly. I looked at it in confusion, causing him to give an exasperated breath. "Are you just going to stand there and look at it, or are you going to grab on?"

I pursed my lips together. _Why should I?_

"If you want to be left here, then be my guest." He retracted it, turning his back on me and walking away. I could hear the chuckles of Eld behind me, further irritating me as I followed suit.

 _Okay okay!_ I halted him, quickly hurrying after him and latching onto his shoulder. _Just hold on a second. Are you going to carry me all the way there?_

 _ **Of course I am.**_ He replied matter-of-factly. _**I've done it once before, it isn't like I can't do it again.**_ He swiftly grabbed my arm, pulling me to him and latching his arms around my waist and knees. I winced a bit when he began to carry me.

 _Aren't I heavy?_

 _ **Not at all. Do you underestimate my strength?**_

 _Hardly._

 _ **Then don't ask questions you already know the answer to.**_

I was tempted to call him an asshole, really I was, but my thoughts were cut off when he ordered Eld to grab my things from the broken-down car, all the while increasing his pace to a sprint. The speed startled me, causing me to fling my arms around his neck tightly. I almost thought that I was choking him, but it was his fault for not giving me a warning first so I refrained.

"Stick to the shadows. I won't be able to go as fast when I'm carrying her."

Levi had said, but it still felt as if we were gliding through the air while he ran. Everything was a blur, and it hurt to focus on one thing at a time so I kept my eyes closed and tucked my chin close to my arms.

 _How long do you think it will take us to get back?_ I asked, suddenly feeling drained from the occurrence. Levi shrugged, sliding around some shrubs from a nearby house and keeping away from the streetlamps.

 _ **Usually it takes us twenty minutes tops. But with you, I think it will be a little longer.**_ He replied, and I could hear the exasperation in his voice. He was tired of having to take care of me like this, I knew it.

And I couldn't feel guiltier.

 _ **Why?**_ He continued. _**Sleep if you want to, I'm not stopping you.**_

I didn't say anything. I was too engrossed in my own thoughts, thoughts that he couldn't hear. Thoughts that I had pulled to the side for myself. Instead of responding, I let myself relax in his hold, falling deeper and deeper into the pit of darkness that was sleep.

 **(x0x)**

"Hey."

I scrunched my nose at the annoying hand pressing against my side, slapping at it with one of my own to ward it off. I was too tired to be bothered, and longer sleep sounded heavenly at the moment.

"Time to get up, stupid brat."

This time, I was pulled off of the couch I was laying on and onto the cold, hardwood floor. I landed on my back with an uncomfortable ' _oof'._ My eyes snapped open to see the perpetrator.

Levi stood over me, glaring down at my prone form with disdain. I frowned, sitting up and leaning against the couch that I had so gloriously slept on. It had seemed we made it back to the estate without me waking up.

Petra sat on the sofa across from us, looking down at her hands that were folded neatly in her lap. She didn't look up, not once, and the guilt was clear to see on her delicate features.

And then I remembered.

We were in deep, _deep_ shit.

Levi grasped my arm, hauling me up with little force and pushing me in her direction. "Sit." He commanded, leaving no room for discussion. I obeyed, taking a seat next to her and resuming a similar position. I could already tell we were going to get chewed out, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

Levi stayed standing, crossing his arms over his chest while staring blankly at us. No expression crossed his face, but the rage he emitted was on another level, almost terrifying. I didn't dare make eye contact with him.

"So," he began, voice low and intimidating. "Would you both care to fill me in as to why you went on that little adventure of yours?"

His sarcasm made me angry. All I had wanted to do was to get some clothing from my house. It wasn't like I went off to the next town over at a club full of vampires! I clenched my teeth, not directing my thoughts towards him at all. I was tired and all I wanted to do was sleep. Not listen to him pester us about the dangers of the world and yada-yada.

"I had suggested to Miss Charlotte that it would be a good idea to retrieve some clothes for her stay, Captain." Petra blurted out, covering over the fact that it was my idea. My head snapped towards her, eyes wide with disbelief.

 _Petra…_ I whispered to myself, extremely grateful for her kindness towards me. I was the one who pulled her into this mess, and I would be damned if I didn't get her out of it.

Before she could say anything else, I placed my hand over hers, stopping her. She met my gaze, surprise evident in her caramel orbs. I shook my head. I didn't want her to dig us an even deeper hole, not if I could help it.

I gave her a small smile, nodding to her and thanking her for standing up for us. Then I turned to Levi to continue where she had left off, only in a different way.

 _Petra wasn't the one who wanted to leave, it was me._ I said slowly, carefully. The raven-haired vampire narrowed his eyes, giving a small hum of false amusement.

"Can't say that I'm surprised." He replied aloud, choosing to keep his responses open between the three of us. Petra already knew of the link between our minds, but considering it was both of us who were in trouble, it made more sense for Levi to allow her to hear it as well.

 _Yeah, yeah. The King of Knowledge, everyone. Let's have a round of applause!_ I snapped, tired of his blunt replies. If he was going to yell at us, he needed to get it over with. I already felt guilty about everything, and that wouldn't change.

Suddenly, the air around me grew thin and I was left to inhale shortly as his face appeared in front of me, arms encasing me and pushing me farther into the back of the sofa. Levi snarled, fangs flashing menacingly and eyes turning that familiar blood red shade. I had succeeded in pissing him off to the fullest.

" _ **I'm glad you find this to be fucking amusing, little human.**_ _"_ He spat darkly, his voice a guttural tone that didn't even sound like him. If I was even a little scared before, I was terrified now. I sucked in a breath, trying my very best not to seem afraid. I knew I had failed when my hands began to shake on their own accord.

"C-Captain, please—"Petra reached for us, most likely trying to separate him from me. Levi's hand shot out in her direction, and an unknown force pushed her into the far end of the couch, trapping her there and rendering her immobile. She didn't try to struggle, but even then I could see how scared she was of him. I shared that emotion, the side of him I had never seen before being unleashed, and all on me. It was less than pleasant.

He placed his hand back in its original position by my head, his lips lifting into a dangerous sneer. "Now then," he continued, his voice a little less guttural then it had been a second ago. The edge was still there, though. "I want to know _exactly_ why you left, and it better be a damn good reason. I'm not in the mood to play your little games, _dearest Charlotte."_

 _O-Okay, I'm sorry. J-Just give me some space, please. I can't breathe with you so close._ I begged him, pushing away at his chest a little. He obliged, backing up a bit but not enough to where I would be able to move freely around. It was good enough, for now.

"Speak."

I nodded shakily. _While you were gone, I had Petra take me back to my apartment so that I could grab some clothes. I was going to be as quick as I could, I didn't think anyone would come after us. You have to believe me._

"Even after I told you not to leave. Not only did you put yourself in danger, but you put Petra in danger as well." Levi scoffed, shaking his head in dismay. "Do you know just how selfish of you that is?"

I flinched at the jab, realizing the extent of my actions. _I didn't want to put her in danger, and she insisted on going._ I muttered, clenching my hands together tightly. Small indentions became visible on the outsides of my hands from my nails pressing into the skin. _We didn't ask to be attacked by them, either._

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you." Levi grit his teeth together, trying to keep his emotions at bay. His eyes still held that pinch of red that I could barely see. _"_ You _cannot_ leave without me with you. No matter where it is, there are other vampires who will find you. And now that you have captured the attention of another coven, there is no telling what they will want to do to you and this not only spells out trouble for you, but for us, too."

 _What do you mean…?_

"I mean," he enunciated the word. "That there will most likely be repercussions. A fight between covens, something that we have always tried to avoid." He sighed, running a hand through his windblown hair. "Of course, this was bound to happen eventually."

"Sir, you don't think…" Petra finally voiced her thoughts, still stuck at the end of the couch.

"That's exactly what I think." He finished for her, returning to his full height and turning his back to us. I let out a relieved breathe. "Dimaria was waiting for an opportunity like this to come to pass, and she took it the moment it reared its ugly head."

I tilted my head a little, curious at the name that had surprisingly seemed familiar to me. But where had I heard it before? _Who's that?_ I asked, watching as he looked over his shoulder at us.

"No one you need to concern yourself with," he dismissed. "At least, not yet." Levi tightened his cravat, clicking his tongue in annoyance as he thought about what to do from there. "I'm not going to spend all night scolding you both, so I'm just going to finish up here. There are other matters to attend to and I need to let Erwin know of what happened tonight."

"Yes, sir." Petra replied sullenly.

 _Look,_ I interrupted him shortly. _I'm not sorry for wanting to get my things, but I am sorry for not listening to you. I know it was wrong of me, and I promise to stay where you want me from now on. I just don't like the fact that I can't be independent anymore._

"That's just the way things have to be from now on." he said curtly, rolling his eyes at my declaration. "Petra, I'm putting you on probation for two weeks. That means no leaving for missions and no doing things without my consent."

I began to protest for her sake when he said this. _Levi—_

"I understand, sir."

"Good."

I sighed. So much for trying to help.

"And you, Charlotte," he continued briskly. "You won't be removed from my sight for any means necessary. Unless you have to use the bathroom, that is. And if I even catch you in another room without my permission of your absence, I will lock you in your room for the rest of your life." He warned, and I almost sputtered at how ridiculous he sounded. "And don't think I won't to it, either. Because I will. I've done a hell of a lot worse."

 _I believe you._ I shuddered, a sudden chill going up my spine. I didn't want the wrath from before to be shown to me again, so listening was the best option. I would be much safer with him around anyways.

"Now that we all agree, I have a meeting with Erwin that I have to finish up." He appeared in the doorway a second later, his speed still awe-inspiring to me. "You're coming with, so follow me and stay close."

I nodded heavily, standing up from the sofa and falling into step behind him. Before going through the doorway, I turned back and gave a wave to the orangette who, despite her punishment, still looked quite relieved. She smiled at my action, returning the favor before she was out of my view.

Levi proceeded through the vast halls with me in tow, looking over his shoulder every few seconds to make sure that I wasn't straying far behind. I gave him a bored look each time, hoping that it showed my displeasure. It wasn't like I was going anywhere, I had no idea where we were headed!

Finally, he stopped in front of two luxurious wooden doors, much like the ones to the front entrance, only a bit smaller. He knocked twice on the surface politely, then waited. A second later, a deep voice spoke up from the light quietness. "Enter." It said, and I knew the voice to be Erwin's.

"Excuse us." Levi opened one of the doors, holding it open so that I would enter first. _Huh. So he_ does _know how not to be an impolite ass?_

"Come on, I don't have all day." He waved a hand and motioned me forward, and my face fell a little.

 _Never mind._ I thought to myself, looking forward instead of at him as I entered the room with newfound curiosity. _He doesn't fail to impress, obviously._

 _ **You should learn to conceal your thoughts better, because I can still hear them. Idiotic brat.**_

I sighed when I heard his voice disrupt my thoughts. Of course.

This was going to be a while.

 **(x0x)**

 **Finished at 1:47 AM.**

 **I really wanted to get this chapter out despite the word count. Forgive me if It seemed rushed, but I promise that the next chapter will be more informational.**

 **I would also like some more reviews, because they REALLY motivate me to write more. Tell me your likes, dislikes, and what I can do to improve the story. It really helps.**

 **Favorite, follow, review!**

 **~M**


	7. Challenger

**A/N: So, news, news, news…**

 **I'm super excited to hit 50! I didn't think that anyone would really read this story considering how different it is in the aot archives. But thank you sososo much for favoriting, following and reviewing. It means a lot and it keeps me going. I really appreciate all the feedback you guys give me, so keep it coming!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **(x0x)**

The first thing that I noticed upon entering Erwin's office was that someone I wasn't particularly fond of was seated across from him in one of the plush chairs.

And by the way that Levi tensed a bit beside me, I knew he thought the same.

"I thought I asked for a meeting just between us, Erwin." He said lowly, his jaw set almost unnaturally. "What's she doing here?"

"Rude!" Hange spoke, a pout forming on her lips. Her nostrils flared a bit, as if testing the scent in the air. _She probably wants to smell me._ "I was here before you, shorty!"

"Don't start, you four-eyed shit. I'm not in a good mood."

Understatement.

 _ **I heard that.**_ He hissed to me, the words scraping my mind with abandon. I only rolled my eyes.

"Enough, you two." Erwin said exasperatedly. "Levi, I had to speak to Hange about something completely different. Don't get any ideas." His gaze shot towards the woman. "We'll continue this conversation later."

"No problem." She grinned at him, rising from her seat and making her way towards the door. I moved to the side, trying to not seem like I was rushing to get away from her when in reality I was _terrified_ of having another encounter like before. Before she stepped out, she casted a questioning glance towards me and stopped.

"Hange," Levi warned.

If she heard him, she didn't show it as she began to step towards me. Alarm bells rang off in my head. _Levi, what's she doing?_ I asked him, my voice sounding panicked.

Hange stopped just a breath away from me. I didn't go off anywhere in fear of being chased. That probably wouldn't have mattered, though. I had no doubt in my mind that Levi would somehow stop that from happening.

"You just smell so good…it's not fair." She whispered suddenly, pupils dilating and gobbling up the brown of her iris. That struck a pang of fear in my heart.

As soon as she had said that, however, Levi didn't waste any time in appearing in front of me and grabbing her by the neck. I felt myself relax, at least a little bit.

"That's enough," he snarled dangerously, the bloodlust in the room shifting. _They must really not like each other…_ "Time for you to leave, _now."_

"For the love of god, get out, Hange!" Erwin barked. He didn't leave his seat, but his order was enough. She snapped out of her stupor, blinking her eyes and shaking her head to rid of her thoughts. "Sorry," she muttered. Levi released her and she disappeared.

I let out the breath that I had been holding. What was with her? Why was she so hung up on the smell of my blood? I didn't understand.

"You okay?"

I nodded, Levi reciprocating before placing a hand on my shoulder, lightly leading me towards the chair across from Erwin. The blonde man had been searching my face for any sight of uneasiness, caused from him or Hange, I wouldn't know. He smiled gently when he saw me staring back.

"I apologize for my subordinate's rude behavior. She is easily distracted by humans unlike the rest of us." His gaze followed me when I sat down across from him. "Are you alright? You're very quiet for someone in your situation."

 _Oh._ I had almost forgotten about that. I wanted to sigh a bit; usually people didn't think much of my muteness, and if they did they would ask if I was just that. Mute. I turned to Levi for help, who placed his hand on the back of my chair.

"She can't really help that." He spoke casually, his fingers drumming a quiet beat on the wood of the chair. "She's mute." He rose an eyebrow in question. "Didn't I already tell you this on a different occasion?"

Erwin clasped his hands together, trying to find an adequate enough answer. "Perhaps you did, the thought must have slipped my mind."

I almost wanted to scoff at that. _Should I be worried about this?_

 _ **Erwin can be a bit of a ditz sometimes.**_ Levi replied, and I couldn't tell if he was amused or insulted for his superior. _**But he has good intentions and he's a smart vampire. He wouldn't be leading us if he wasn't.**_

 _True, I guess._

"Back to the important matter," Erwin interrupted our thoughts. "Your name is Charlotte, correct?"

I nodded.

"Very good. My name is Erwin, Erwin Smith. I suspect that Levi has told you minimal things about who I am?" Again, I nodded. He had filled me in, so introductions didn't have to be too long. "Excellent. I again apologize for the many negative occurrences that have happened to you as of late. As the leader of this coven, it is my duty to guarantee your safety and I have failed to do that." He bowed his head, expression full of guilt that made me uneasy.

 _Levi, can you translate?_

 _ **Yes. Better than you using a pen and paper and wasting our time.**_ He said as an afterthought. I sent him a mental picture of me flipping him off, as I couldn't have done it with Erwin in front of us. I could faintly hear the sound of his disapproval in the back of my mind. _**Mind what you show me, you ungrateful brat.**_

"She asks that you don't bow your head, as it isn't your fault. And she's right. The fault is mostly mine. It's my duty to keep an eye on her and I haven't done that to the full extent. So if there's anyone you want to blame, blame me." Levi said aloud, his words sincere but not his expression. He still looked like someone with a stick up his ass.

 _ **The things I am wanting to do to you right now…you damned shitty—**_

Luckily, he didn't finish his sentence when Erwin cut off his thoughts. "Seems like we all have something to consider." He smiled lightly, clasping his hands in front of him. "Speaking of considerations, Levi…will Charlotte be staying with you?"

"Yes."

 _Wait, what? What does he mean?_ I asked slowly, but received no response from the ravenette.

"And she is okay with this arrangement?" Erwin questioned again, turning his cerulean gaze back to me. I only cocked my head to the side, still not following their conversation. Wasn't this considered staying with him already, getting my own room like I already had?

"She understands that she is to go no place by herself unless with me. So yes, she is well aware."

"Ah, so you gave her the room connected to yours."

"Yes."

That made me pause for a second. _Is THAT what those other double doors lead to?!_ I asked shrilly, making Levi look down at me without leaning his head. That was all the confirmation I needed. _Of course I'm right next to you. Lovely, hopefully you don't walk in on me changing one day._

 _ **Not like you have something I haven't already seen. So there's really no reason for you to overreact right now.**_

The insult sent my thoughts reeling in anger. _You are such an ass!_ I snapped coldly, wanting to cut off our connection completely so that I didn't have to hear the rest of Mr. stick-up-his-asses' thoughts.

"I see…" Erwin gripped his chin in his hand, contemplating his next words. "Then I welcome you with open arms into this sanctuary, Charlotte. Despite this, I ask that you please stay close to Levi during your stay here. Safe for a vampire it may be, but not safe for a human, especially unclaimed." He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling a breath. "Once Levi announces that you are his blood singer in front of the coven, you will be able to walk around freely without an escort. Another vampire will seldom go after you especially when you are marked."

I nodded my understanding. I wasn't about to walk around in a building full of bloodsuckers that wanted to eat me. I'm sure I've stated this before but…I _really_ didn't want to die anytime soon.

"You are free to go explore, then. We shall be having dinner in about an hour, so you are welcome to come join us in the dining area or you may have your dinner sent to you. It is your decision." The blonde vampire waved a hand towards the door, excusing us both in such little time.

I blanched. _Is that all? I thought he'd have more to say._

 _ **There's not much that he doesn't already know about the situation.**_ Levi filled me in, helping me scoot out my chair and leading us both towards the exit. He opened the door, surprisingly going out first and then waiting for me to follow. _**Besides, dinner gives us the appropriate time to introduce you to the coven.**_

 _So from what I understand, you're going to bite me in front of everyone?_ I felt a shudder wrack my body, picturing all of the people that would watch me most uncomfortably while Levi bit at me like a rabid dog.

I could feel the waves of disgust roll off of said vampire, his form tensing as he made to trek down the hallway. Probably back to our rooms. _**Absolutely not, your mind is elsewhere.**_ He looked over his shoulder at me, glaring at my suggestion. _**I've already marked you. All I need to do now is give a verbal confirmation and then the marking will be complete. And once every one hears that you are my belonging, they will refrain from trying to come after you. Simple as that.**_

I blinked. _Oh. Then why did Erwin make it sound so…so…_

 _ **Intimate?**_ He finished for me, and I nodded. He turned a corner, and I relaxed when I saw we weren't too far from our rooms. _**He probably thinks that I have yet to claim you fully. Erwin is getting old; and his sense of smell is starting to fade away. I wouldn't be surprised if he couldn't smell my blood in you, which is a bit worrisome.**_

 _Oh…that really doesn't sound good._ I muttered. _He's not…dying, is he? I thought you guys were immortal?_ Had I been wrong all along? I dearly hoped not. Erwin had been very polite and considerate of my being here, so of course I didn't want anything bad to happen to him.

Stopping in front of my room, Levi reached forward and opened the door, motioning me to go forward. I wanted to sigh in exasperation. Why couldn't he make up his mind to either go in before me or let me go in first? Couldn't he smell the danger before anything? Gosh.

 _ **No, he's not dying.**_ I breathed out a sigh of relief. _**Not a lot of people know this, but Erwin gives his energy to members of the coven from time to time…which is why his senses aren't as strong as they should be. He's too generous for his own good.**_ We traipsed inside the room, and I made a beeline towards the plush bed that surprisingly had most of my belongings on it, including my new comforter.

 _What do you mean, he 'gives his energy'?_

"A lot of the younger ones are injury prone, if you haven't noticed trouble they seem to get in from time to time." Levi spoke aloud for the first time since we left Erwin's office, and I watched as he seemed to gracefully drift down onto the plush couch in the corner. "When we started to come back from tasks with even fewer numbers than before, Erwin took immediate action to ensure that everyone powered up before leaving for their missions."

I cocked my head to the side in wonder. That still didn't answer my question completely. _So he…_

"…Gives his blood, yes."

Oh.

Ohhh.

"Which is why I will be the one retrieving drinks for you." He continued matter-of-factly. Even though I wanted to protest at his absurd declaration, the tone of his voice held absolutely no room for discussion.

I grinned sneakily, deciding to mess with him a little. _Afraid I'll drink someone else's blood instead of yours? Aww, you do care!_

I expected his reaction to carry annoyance or something similar of the sort, but it was anything but. My words seemed to trigger an anger that was unknown to me, his eyes flashing red briefly before his glare pinned me full-force.

"You're human, and you will stick to man-made beverages." He responded curtly, a growl tinting the edges of his voice. My eyebrow rose in retaliation. What was with him now?

 _Will that be all, my lord?_ I snarked back. I knew it shouldn't push his buttons more than I already had, but I couldn't help it. It was so easy to mess with him, and my thoughts usually ran away from me when I tried to reel them in.

"Yes, and we will not discuss this matter anymore." He ignored my sarcasm completely. My eyes darted for a split-second to the hand that was gripping his thigh. It was scrunched, and it looked uncomfortable to say in the least.

I looked back up to his gaze. This time, his eyes stayed that burgundy color. I wished that there was some way that he could control the color shift, because it was really starting to throw me off. _Why can't—_

" _ **Did you not hear me? I said end. Of. Discussion."**_ Levi snapped in that monstrous voice he used before, the one that sparked my fear to no end. I tensed and scoot back on the bed, farther from him in case he got the idea to come after me again. I _hated_ when his mood shifted like that, but I guess I should have saw it coming. I did provoke him, after all.

I decided to stay silent. Better that I didn't say anything else that would anger him further.

Of course he noticed the absence of my voice in his head, and he closed his eyes to draw in a breath. Probably so that he'd calm down. Huh, so I guess he did have his ways of controlling his anger? It would do him better to act it out more frequently.

 _I'm sorry._ I said this softly, with my eyes downcast to show him that I truly meant it. From now on, I would have to be more careful when teasing him. I really didn't enjoy the moments where he would become so furious that he'd try to tear my throat out.

"It's fine." I heard the shift in fabric, a wind passing in front of my face and lifting my hair a little bit before I felt the dip in the mattress next to me. "Just don't talk about it anymore. Understood?"

 _I understand._ I replied easily, placing my hands in my lap and doing my best not to look at him. I wanted to appear deep in thought…but then I realized; how could I when he was literally in my head?

Dunce.

"We still have at least fourty-five minutes, so…why don't I give you a tour of the grounds?" the ravenette suggested, and this time I did look up at him. He looked off into the distance, out into the night sky that was littered with stars. It had to be at least eight by now. Vampires truly ate at a late time, didn't they?

 _That sounds really nice._ I said honestly. I was hoping he'd show me some of the outside. If the stars were that visible, then I would have to find a good spot to stargaze. You could only point out a few of the gaseous orbs where I lived in the city, so it would be a nice transition from the clouded skies I was used to seeing.

"Shall we then?"

 **(x0x)**

If I thought that the estate was large before, I was clearly kidding myself.

There was an _enormous_ amount of space on the grounds, with multiple things to do that suited the vampire's fancies. From horseback riding to air-hockey; this place had it all.

"This is probably my least favorite area," Levi muttered, mostly to himself as we passed the stables that occupied several of the gentle beasts. I wasn't surprised. Anything close to dirty pretty much insulted the male. I could admit that the smell was a bit unpleasant, but nothing I couldn't handle. I was much more interested in taking a peek inside. There were three horses that I could see grazing some feet away, separated by the wooden fencing that surrounded the pasture.

 _Don't be such a grouch, Levi._ I said, my tone playful as I leaned against the fence. _This is amazing. It's been a while since I've had contact with a horse. They're friendly, right?_

I didn't have to turn my head to know that he was exasperated at my childishness. A soft breeze picked up some of the locks of my hair, moving through the pasture and flattening the blades of grass against the ground.

"Most of them are." Levi answered. "They're quite used to people, so there's not much to worry about when it comes to them. I should be able to point out the ones who aren't."

I nodded, satisfied with his response. Two of the stallions picked their heads up, ears flicking forward as they finally took notice of us. One was a tan beige color, the other a black and white pinto. Both had light manes that swished against them in the wind. A grin stretched over my face. _What about them?_

"Not sure. Hold on," the ravenette stalled, approaching the fence next to me and letting out a high pitched whistle from his lips. The horses stiffened up to attention, trotting over and stopping with their heads over the fence. The tan horse nudged its head towards me, causing me to take a small step back with the force. I couldn't help but let out a laugh.

 _Well, it's clear to me that this one is friendly._ I lifted up my hand and smoothed it down its head. The horse appreciated my action and leaned into the caress. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Levi patting the pinto on its neck with concealed affection.

"It would seem so. These two are new, I believe. Both mares." He grunted when the pinto nibbled on his jacket, tapping its nose in correction. The mare picked her head back up and took interest in me instead. She leaned over, doing the same to me while I pet the other. It was obvious she had left Levi for his lack of attention. "The pinto's name is Rio. Can't remember the palomino's name, though."

 _That's okay. I'm sure we'll find out someday._ I tilted my head to the side. _How many of them are here? Does everyone have a horse of their own, or…?_

"Twenty-six? Twenty-seven? I've lost count." He brought his arms to his chest, looking off to the side. "And no, not everyone has one of their own. This area is reserved for members of the coven who can control their thirst. It can be rather hard having them here sometimes, especially with the younger vampires. But we make due."

 _What about you?_

That made him raise an eyebrow. "What about me?" he asked.

 _Do you own one?_

"Interested?" he scoffed, his eyes flashing with amusement. I puffed out my cheeks, wishing he would just give me a yes or no answer. Maybe I really did prefer his blunt honesty? "Yes, I do. But I don't think—"

 _Where? Whatever horse is yours must be something that suits your standards perfectly, right?_ I goaded, my curiosity skyrocketing. I knew that he wasn't a people person, but seeing how he did with animals was a different story. Finding out that he actually had an animal to care for on his own was kind of shocking.

"He's in the stables with the others." Levi answered slowly, a hint of tension lacing his voice. I chose to ignore that bit. "I still don't—"

 _Well what are we waiting for, then? Show me!_ I cut him off, too enthusiastic about the situation to fully detect the warning he was trying to portray for me. _Then after this we can go eat. I'm starved._

I quickened my pace towards the stables with the male in tow, ignoring how he was brooding and entering with excitement coursing through my veins. I didn't realize I would be _this_ interesting in meeting Levi's horse, but I couldn't help it. I just was.

Levi stopped behind me, grabbing my shoulder and holding me from stepping in further. "Wait a second, Christ." He sighed in annoyance. My eyes sparkled with the sight of so many beautiful beings in their stalls, either eating or poking their heads out to watch us questionably.

 _Which one is yours?_ I asked impatiently. The raven-haired vampire clicked his tongue, clearly fed up with my antics.

"The black stallion, four stalls down. But I should warn you before you go up to him."

Whatever he was saying hadn't donned on me, because I was already a foot away from his stall when he finished his sentence. The steed's head towered over my form by at least half a foot, its onyx eyes peering down at me in boredom. An expression that mirrored his master's almost comically. One ear had flicked forward while the other flicked backwards, a sure sign that he was unsure at my presence. He then began lowering his head a bit, nose and mouth nearing my face slowly. "You really should back up before—"

I stood perfectly still, holding my ground and forcing myself to be completely calm. I itched to touch the stallion and weave its course mane with my fingers, but I knew better. It was more than likely that this horse didn't like strangers and was a biter. If his body language didn't give off the impression, then his eyes certainly did. However, his aggression would only apply to the ones that would reach out to him first. And as much as I did want to touch him, I really didn't feel like getting bit any time soon.

So I let him examine me first.

The stallion touched part of his nose near my shoulder, his warm breath cascading down my back as he took in my scent. Another thing that horses could detect. Fear. But how could I be afraid of him when all I could feel was awe? Such a beautiful animal didn't deserve to be feared. It deserved to accept the astonishment of the ones viewing it.

This time, I didn't hesitate. I brought my hand to the underside of his chin, gently scratching while he continued to sniff me. I had to be careful; his actions tickled the slightest bit, and I didn't want a sudden outburst of mine to frighten him away. That was the last thing I wanted.

"How the hell…" I heard Levi trail off, his voice the same indifferent tone it always was, but I could detect a bit of wonder in it as he asked himself this. I smiled.

 _You were going to tell me not to touch him because he bites, right?_

"I'm surprised you figured that out with how you were blatantly ignoring me," he replied matter-of-factly, clicking his tongue to get his horse's attention. The black beauty turned to look at him, whinnying lowly and reaching his head out for some affection. I blanched. How he could be attached to such an indifferent person, I'll never know.

"Probably because I'm not a nuisance like most people he's met." He tossed at me, reading my thoughts again. He came over, waiting for the steed to lower himself more so that he could scratch the area between his ears, making his eyes close in content.

I rolled my eyes for the hundredth time today. _He doesn't seem to think that about me. What's his name?_

"Mars."

The Roman god of war? I smiled. The name really suited him. He was a large, powerful stallion, probably seventeen hands or more. The idea of why he needed such a big horse was beyond me. _He really is a giant._

"He's a Friesian. They tend to be pretty large. I don't really mind his size, though." He had a wistful look in his eyes as he ran his fingers through the black fringe. "I had him imported from France when he was a colt. The stables he came from was shutting down and they wanted to send him to a damn meat locker to control funds again. Naturally, that pissed me off. So I bought him." His lip twitched. "God knows he deserved way better."

When he finished, I could finally understand.

This horse. This beautiful, shadowed being felt indebted to his owner and I didn't blame him. Levi saved him. But at what cost to him? Anyone with a heart would feel bad for the poor animal. But I had a feeling there was a meaning far deeper than that. Whatever that was, though, I wasn't in a rush to find out.

 _You did a good thing for him._ I whispered to him, gripping his shoulder and squeezing gently. His silver-grey eyes met mine. I could see the anger, the relief he harbored inside for his steed—no, his _friend._ I knew that he found someone that understood him to the depths of his very soul, and that made me happy for him. But that wasn't all I felt.

There was something else the sparked in me at the thought of him being so close to Mars.

Jealousy.

And that didn't sit right with me. Not at all.

Who was I to be jealous of their relationship? He was an animal, for god's sakes.

Though he was an animal that understood his master.

 _Man, I've really got to get my head out of the gutter._ I scolded myself, making sure to keep my thoughts blocked so Levi couldn't hear them. _I've known this man for no longer than a day and a half and I'm already enamored as hell…_

A sudden poke to my cheek brought me out of my stupor. Mars was nudging my face, surprisingly asking for my attention. I guess one person's loving wasn't enough for the stubborn male. I pressed my cheek a bit more into his fuzzed snout, relishing in the brief contact. _You're just a bit misunderstood, aren't you?_ I asked sadly, and this time Levi heard it.

"Well, he can be a bit of an ass, so I don't blame the ones that have come across him."

I glared while Mars nickered angrily at the ravenette. _Yeah, well so can you._ I snarked hotly, upset that he'd treat the beast so poorly. Levi only snorted, probably resisting the urge to flick me and instead grabbing my arm and leading me away from the stall.

"If you're quite done insulting me, we've got an important dinner awaiting us." He said brusquely, removing his hand and escorting me out of the stables. The word 'dinner' made my stomach growl in anticipation. And of course, the vampire's sharp ears caught the slight sound. "Hungry?" he asked, smirking evilly.

He thought this was funny. Like I said, pure asshole.

Starving. I replied honestly, holding my abdomen as I walked. Even his snarkiness wasn't enough to curb my appetite. The food they were making was calling to me.

We made our way across the pastor, coming up upon the back entryway of the estate. The garden was a few feet beyond the patio, the entrance calling to me as it had done earlier. Levi had shown it to me first; it was a beautiful portion of the property that I would be sure to go back to many times in my stay here.

"Good. I hope you're prepared for this. This is a dinner you are never going to forget."

I gave him a questioning look. Why did he say that?

 **(x0x)**

I should have already known the answer to my own question.

 _Of course, they're all eating raw, bloodied-up meat. What did I expect?_

Once we had entered the dining hall—which wasn't that far from my room, fantastic—I was greeted by at least a few hundred pairs of eyes, maybe more. Some had flashed red at my arrival, causing the stoic male by my side to shuffle closer. His own orbs narrowed at the challenge presented in front of him. I shut my eyes in exasperation. They were all acting like a bunch of territorial wolves.

Fun.

I jumped when I felt a cool palm graze the small of my back. It wasn't intimate by any means, but by other bystanders, it would seem that way. "Easy, brat." Levi murmured next to my ear, leading me forward while keeping his eyes alert. "Stay close and you'll be fine."

I gave a barely perceptible nod, keeping my head lowered and minding my own business. It was better than looking into a hungry vampires eyes. However, that didn't last long when I felt a sharp pinch sear my back. Levi's sharp red gaze stopped the protest from coming out of my mouth.

 _ **Keep your head up.**_ He chided me in my mind. _**They will think you to be easy prey if you don't otherwise.**_

 _Oh. Sorry._ My voice was sheepish as I lifted my head back up. We were coming up on a large rectangular table that sat a few other vampires, probably of high status. I agreed with myself when I saw that Erwin sitting at the end. Hanji was there too, but fortunately she wasn't looking at me this time. She sat next to Petra, talking animatedly and waving her hands in excitement. Petra only seemed to nod each time, clearly at a stalemate with what to do about the situation.

The other vampires names, whom I had learned to be Gunther, Eld, and Oluo, were there too. Everyone else I was unfamiliar with.

A boy with the most beautiful green eyes I have ever seen was the first one to notice us, though he did not say anything. He looked at me in what appeared to be fascination and wonder, and I saw his nose twitch a bit as he took in my scent. Surprisingly, his eyes didn't change color when he did.

Instead he stood up from his seat, standing stiff as a board and placing one fist over his heart. He appeared to really want to please Levi. I smiled at the gesture. _Aww, he's cute._ I commented, not caring if Levi heard in the process.

 _ **He may look young, but he's much older than you are. I would think you'd want someone around your age.**_

I blushed in embarrassment. _You're an absolute pervert._

Levi didn't answer me, instead acknowledging the boy in front of him. "At ease, Yeager. We're not on duty right now."

The boy only fumbled along with his words, dropping his strange salute and nodding furiously. "Y-Yes sir." He replied nervously, a rosy blush tinting his tan cheeks as he resumed his seat next to an amused Eld.

Erwin looked up from his plate of…. _meat…_ and gave Levi a knowing smile. "A bit late, aren't we?" his tone held an underlay of teasing, making the red-haired women next to him slap his arm in rebuttal.

"Don't you dare, Erwin." Her butterscotch eyes held a warning that he caught immediately, making him drop his smile a bit. I couldn't help but feel an ounce of shock. All I had thought in the moment was that he was _whipped._

 _ **That would be because she is his mate.**_ The ravenette added for me. I smiled at the picture the both of them let off.

 _Interesting._ I grinned, imagining a hooked Levi with a mate by his side. Half of me was amused, but the other half was not. I felt a pang in my heart at the thought that didn't sit well with me. I quickly squashed the feeling.

"Oh, where are our manners? Please, sit!" the redhead chirped, swiftly taking my arm and pulling me beside her. I tried to at least neatly fumble into my seat without looking ungraceful. It was difficult not to. Levi sighed under his breath and sat down as well, giving Eren a look that scared him enough to move over. "And I see that Levi has failed to introduce you to some of us."

"I apologize, my lady." He replied honestly, bowing his head the slightest bit at her scolding. That made me snicker. Not only did she have Erwin wrapped around her finger, but she also had—

 _ **Don't finish that sentence.**_ An antagonized voice cut off my train of thought, and I chose to ignore it. You get my drift anyway.

"It's quite alright, you both are here now. So let's start, shall we?" she pointed to herself in an almost dramatic way, but it wasn't by any means conceited. "You can call me Madge. I pretty much keep this one," she punched the side of Erwin's arm, making him flinch a bit and nearly drop the cup he was drinking out of. "In line. It's nice to officially meet you, Charlotte. You're an absolute doll." She gushed. I blushed at her praise. If anything, s _he_ was the doll.

It went down the table as a type of line, skipping Levi and going onto the next person. Eren looked over his superior nervously, a pink tint placed on his cheeks. "I-I'm Eren, Eren Yeager." He finished lamely, his eyes not meeting mine. A shame, I wouldn't have minded seeing that teal-blue color once more. I was indefinitely jealous of his eyes.

I nodded my head politely, giving him a reassuring smile. After his introduction, the line moved down the table with each person introducing themselves. I officially met the rest of Levi's team, save Petra (we knew each other well by now), Hanji, and Erwin. During the span of a few minutes, a busty female came skittering from the kitchens and set down a plate of food in front of Levi and myself. I was relieved to see that my meal was cooked.

I ignored the jealous glare that the woman shot me as she was retreating back to her little snakehole. I could have cared less of her obvious affection for Levi; I was _starving._ Silently praying that the food wasn't poisoned, I took a bite of the steak and nearly moaned. _Sooo good._ I whined happily, eagerly digging into the dish as if I hadn't eaten in weeks. It felt good to soothe my hunger after such a chaotic day.

However, my appetite soon diminished when Levi gave me a harsh reminder. _**As soon as you finish, we will head to the front and begin.**_ He told me, causing me to stop mid-chew. I swallowed the last bit of some vegetables slowly. I knew that my time was coming to a close and that made it all the more nerve wracking. Levi didn't exactly tell me how all of this was going to happen. What was he going to say when we were in front of everyone? That he owned me? That I was his possession?

Thinking like that should have bothered me to no end, but for some unexplainable reason, it didn't. What the hell was wrong with me? I should have been pissed at something like that. Even so, if it was Levi…

 _Shut up, just shut up. Don't think about it. Wait for when the time comes._ I told myself, making sure I was the only one listening in on my inner dialogue.

It was then that I realized I had finished all of my food. I paled the slightest bit, my eyes shooting up to peer into my companion's eyes. He was already looking at me by the time our gazes met.

It was time.

"Levi…do you want me to come up there with you?" I heard Erwin ask, his voice a bit hesitant, but resilient. He knew that while he was present, there was a good chance nothing would happen. Levi apparently thought the same thing, because he nodded his consent with finality towards the blonde-haired vampire.

"That's a good idea. It would be nice to have some leverage just in case."

Erwin nodded back, his cerulean eyes flickering towards me before closing. He rose from his seat, Levi following suit. I took that as my own initiative to stand. Before I could take a step away from the table, however, a firm grip landed on my shoulder and halted me from continuing. I looked to the side to see who it was, surprised to see that it was Madge.

"Easy does it, love. Stepping out in front of them would display that you're unclaimed and up for grabs. We wouldn't want a fight to break out in here." She whispered next to my ear, so low that I almost couldn't hear her. I sucked in a shuddering breath, grabbing her wrist and squeezing it in thanks. She had just saved me from potential trouble.

I would have to thank her again later. I had a feeling that we'd get along smoothly, maybe even possibly become friends. That would be nice, considering I had none here. Well, besides Petra. I was still at a stalemate with Levi, but I hoped he would come around eventually.

Madge pushed me forward slightly so I was in front of her and behind the two males leading us to the front. It calmed me a bit more to know that she would bring up the rear. Just in case someone wanted to jump out and grab me from behind.

I was still uncomfortable, though. Just like before, everyone decided to stare at me as if I was a meal or if I was the most fascinating thing they had ever seen. I couldn't decide which was worse.

Suddenly, Levi grabbed my hand and pulled me to a stop beside him. It was then that I noticed we were up on some sort of stage. _How had I missed that?_

 _ **Well, it isn't the most eye-catching piece in the room, for one.**_ The ravenette told me matter-of-factly, and I glared at him out of the corner of my eye. He always chose the worse times to be a smartass. _**Now, I need you to listen closely. Do not, under any circumstances, try to interrupt. Let Erwin and I take care of everything. Everything that we say or do will be for your own safety, understand?**_

I wanted to scoff. _You do remember that for the most part I can't speak, right? So I don't think you have to worry about anything there._

 _ **Yes, but they don't know that.**_ Levi referred to the others in the room. _**Actions still have consequences, kid. Try thinking before you do anything stupid. Trust me, you won't like the repercussions if something happens.**_

 _I get it, I get it. Can we just hurry this up, please? All of this staring is making me queasy._ I begged him, trying to refrain from turning green. No matter how hard I tried to ignore it all, it was still making me nervous as hell.

His steel eyes turned to the front of the room, and he took a step forward to grace his audience with a louder-than-average speaking voice. "It seems that I have everyone's attention already, so I'll get right to the point." I closed my eyes, rolling them under my eyelids. What a Levi thing to say. "I'd like to introduce you to Charlotte. As of today, she is my charge and is one-hundred percent off limits. Anyone who would like to challenge my claim on her, step forward now. Though I can assure you that you will not like the results, should you choose to do so."

After he completed his sentence, it was absolutely silent. I was pretty sure that no one was even breathing. No one had dared to say a word. That is, until the silence was penetrated once again.

My eyes widened a fraction when a male that looked no older than Levi stood from his chair, his physique easily eating up the space in the room. He was huge, easily around six foot or more, and full of muscle. If that wasn't frightening enough, his eyes were. They were intelligent, calculating, and monstrously red.

 _Not good._

"How interesting…" he inhaled deeply, his eyes fluttering shut before reopening. This time, a mad glint glazed their ruby depths. I gripped my arms tightly, trying not to show how frightened I was. "That you have failed to claim her beforehand, corporal. You can see just how eager she is making the lot of us."

"I don't think that is any of your concern, Astral." Levi drawled back, not in the least bit concerned that this _brick wall of a man was_ —

 _ **Quiet.**_

 _You know it's true._

"I don't blame you for your mistake, of course. This is your first singer, is it not?" the giant man, now named Astral, continued haughtily. His gaze flicked back to me, and he lifted his lips in a smirk. "And what a beauty to start with. I have to say, I am a bit jealous. Tell me girl, what has he offered you that I cannot?"

I froze. I hadn't expected him to actually speak to me, not at all. Obviously, this man was of some importance, especially if he had the guts to insult Levi _and_ blatantly flirt with me without restraint. He was dangerous, no doubt about it.

Of course, I only stood and bit my lip nervously. I briefly wondered what he would think of my silence. It was clear to me that it had amused him, because he only smirked wider and took a step forward. This caused me to take a small step back, closer to Madge (who currently had a hand on my shoulder). She stopped my immediate retreat. And then I remembered her words. He would take it as a sign of submission, thus proving to him that I was prey. That was the last thing I wanted.

The room thickened with tension and Astral took yet another step forward, this time a lot closer than before. It was like the situation with Hanji all over again. Just what I needed, fantastic!

Much to my relief, he didn't inch closer. But I could see that it wasn't from his own doing.

Levi glared at him with devilish hatred, his scowl barely doing anything to cover his lengthened incisors. He hadn't moved a muscle the entire time, but they were tensed, prepared for movement if he had to intercept the larger male.

"How sweet of you to restrain me and protect her. How about we make this a fair fight? Purely skill, no magic whatsoever…and whoever is victorious shall win a new charge. How does that sound?"

So that was what he was doing? He had done the same thing to Petra when he was angry…only this time, he had a good reason for it. Levi looked deeply in thought, as if he was actually considering his words. He grit his teeth for a moment before answering.

"Tomorrow in the sparring facility, ten a.m. sharp. You will not be allowed near her any time before that. If I catch you…" his threat trailed off, but the meaning was clear. Atlas barked out a laugh, his body free of the invisible restraints Levi had put him in a second before.

"Of course. You know me to not be a rule breaker."

"If that is what you both desire," Erwin chose to intervene in their conversation, "Then I will see to the match myself. Know that if either goes back on your word, you will lose your rightful place in the challenge and no rightful claim will be made."

"Yes, my lord." They both answered in unison.

I looked down at my booted feet. Was this really happening? _Again?_

I was so tired of seeing people fight, over me especially. Would I always be surrounded by such violence if I stayed with Levi? And that wasn't the biggest issue here, either. What if he lost? Would I have to let Astral drink from me instead?

My stomach turned nauseously.

No.

I couldn't let him. The simple thought made me sick. The feeling of ants crawling up my body made me squirm uncomfortably. I had hoped for both my sake and his that Levi won, because if he didn't…I would be at a loss of what to do. I sure as hell wouldn't stay if it came down to it. I would rather relive these past few days then let that happen.

A soothing presence ruptured my thoughts, just brushing my mind in a gentle caress. It was something I had felt long before this, the first time I had heard Levi speak to me. _**Enough worrying, brat.**_ His words were harsh, but his tone was anything but. _**It's going to be fine. You'll see.**_

 _That doesn't sound too reassuring._ I sighed, only a bit aware at the fact that I was being pushed out of the room. I didn't look back. I didn't know what my reaction would be if I saw everyone's eyes looking at me again.

The four of us trailed silently down the familiar halls, the luxurious space lit only just by small lights and the moonlight pouring in through the windows. A sudden wave of tiredness washed over me, exhaustion finally setting in. The chaos of the day was finally catching up to me.

"Levi…"

Erwin spoke accusingly to his subordinate, giving him a slight grimace. The shorter male sighed as he walked. "Astral is a ravisher. You know as well as I do that it had to be done."

I tilted my head curiously at his words. I wanted to ask him what a ravisher was, but I was more intent on listening for the moment as we headed back to our rooms. Erwin put his hand out before Levi, effectively stopping him. "I'm more worried that he will try and find her before the challenge. He is never sated, Levi. He will take her if he gets the chance. Don't let that happen."

"I don't intend to. I have everything planned out already."

"Good." The blonde nodded, stepping away from him and reaching out a hand to the redhead beside me. Madge smiled prettily, sending me a gentle look before gripping his hand tightly and going to his side. "Then I shall see you both in the morning. Please try to get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

In the blink of an eye, they were gone. My draw dropped in amazement. I would never get used to their impressive speed.

"Let's go." I flinched when I felt Levi's breath right beside my ear. He must have used his speed to get to me, otherwise I would have heard his footsteps. It seemed as if we were going to be glued to the hip until tomorrow. "You know I can't leave you alone while he's out here." He said bitingly, though not directed at me. I nodded once. I wouldn't test his protectiveness, not after all that had happened before.

The room that we arrived at was not mine, but it was fairly close to mine. I had to take a guess that this was Levi's room, the one connected to mine. The inside looked fairly similar to my own quarters, but there was more male accents and it was a lot larger. Everything was in pristine condition, not a speck of dirt in sight. I had to smile at that. For him, clean was the only way to go.

"Make yourself at home." He called over his shoulder as he strolled away to his closet. He loosened the cravat around his neck, folding it in his hand and disappearing in the depths of the attached clothesroom. I looked around, afraid that I would find some way to mess something up in here. I would have to take the chance. I made my way to the four-poster bed that was set up against the wall. As soon as I took a seat on the gold duvet, I scoffed. His bed was extremely soft, softer than mine. I was expecting something a lot tougher.

"I'd get used to it if I were you." I heard him call from the closet. I looked over to that area in confusion. Why was that necessary? It wasn't like we were going to be switching rooms or something. I doubted he wanted a smaller room like mine.

 _ **No, genius. I say that because this is where you will be sleeping for the time being.**_

I opened my mouth and breathed out in understanding. However, I didn't actually hear him correctly until I processed the words.

 _WHAT?!_

I whipped my head back in extreme shock, quickly standing from the bed and placing my hand over my mouth. That was the last thing I was expecting to hear from him. How could he put it so bluntly?!

 _I am_ not _sleeping in here with you!_ I spat back, my cheeks heating up at the thought of sharing a room with a male. And an intensely attractive male, no less!

Levi exited his closet, fully clothed in black pajama pants and a soft, white cotton shirt. I knew that he was leanly fit, but now I could see every curve and muscle on his body through his top. I felt my mouth go dry. There was no way I could stay here. I would explode in a thousand pieces if I had to sleep next to him like that.

"You're overthinking things. I'll be sleeping on the couch in the corner. You'll be taking the bed."

If it was even possible, my cheeks reddened even more. I wasn't sure what I was more embarrassed about—the fact that I thought we would be sleeping together, or the fact that I didn't consider something else. I assumed the worst too quickly.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. _S-Sorry, it's just that I—_

Levi held up a hand to stop me. "As much as I would like to continue this amusing conversation—" I snarled at his words, not finding them funny at all. "—we've got a long day tomorrow, and it's already late. I had some of your stuff moved here so that you can get dressed and clean up for bed."

I blanched at that. Should I have been surprised? He was always one step ahead of me. Shaking my head, I skirted towards the bathroom. _Should I even ask how you managed to do everything so quickly?_ I asked slyly, glad to see that my toothbrush and a set of pajamas were already out for me. I shut the bathroom door so that it would be more discrete for me.

 _ **I work fast.**_ He replied, and I agreed easily.

Quickly brushing my teeth and swapping my clothes, I made sure to neatly fold my old outfit and place it on the counter before exiting. Levi was already casually leaning against the couch, a book placed in his hand as his eyes trailed carelessly across the pages. I wanted to roll my eyes at the painfully perfect picture he painted. I could honestly sit and look at him for hours and never get bored. I would shamefully admit that out loud, too.

"No need," the ravenette interrupted, a flash of his smirk visible to me before disappearing just as fast. I made a small, embarrassed sound before dashing over to the bed and throwing the covers over myself. I really needed to place a lock on my thoughts. I wondered what I was more likely going to die from first; my own humiliation, or another vampire's hands. Probably the former. I was close, I could feel it.

I shut my eyes tightly, wishing that I could fall asleep faster so that I wouldn't accidently turn and stare at the handsome presence in the room. _Get a grip, Charlotte._ I spat at myself, forcing myself to calm down and snuggle deeper into the pillows. And after what I thought was at least an hour, I finally drifted off into a dreamless slumber.

Come morning, things would get even more interesting.

I would just have to wait and see how positive or negative it would turn out to be.

 **(x0x)**

 **I have to say that this chapter has taken me the longest out of any other chapter to update. I would lie and say things are picking up, but in reality they are slowing down a bit. The intense action has yet to come, but I won't leave you guys hanging on some boring scenes. There are twists and turns on every corner in this fic and I intend to keep it that way.**

 **Anyway, how are you liking it so far? Please let me know! I would love some reviews. They help me improve, honestly!**

 **Favorite, follow, review, do whatever to your hearts content. Either way I thank you all for your love and support thus far!**

 **Until next time.**

 **~M**


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